Broken' water industry faces tighter oversight

The "broken" water sector in England and Wales faces an era of much tighter oversight after a landmark review, including the creation of a new watchdog to "prevent the abuses of the past".

- Helena Horton

With water and sewerage companies reeling from what the report's author, Sir Jon Cunliffe, called their "Great Stink" moment, the government announced it would be abolishing Ofwat and combining its powers with those of other water watchdogs under a new "super-regulator".

The environment secretary, Steve Reed, told parliament yesterday that ministers would be immediately adopting five of Cunliffe's 88 recommendations, including creating a real-time sewage map with automatic data that names and shames water companies. At the moment, the companies are responsible for reporting their own spills.

Campaigners and environment groups will have more of a say in the cleaning up of their local rivers, Reed announced, and regional water boards will be set up with powers to clean rivers and seas locally as well as planning essential infrastructure.

"Volunteers and citizen scientists will be able to engage for the first time through regional structures. Citizens, local authorities, businesses will all have a voice," Reed said.

A super-regulator will be created to replace Ofwat, which has been blamed for letting water companies preside over decades of financial mismanagement and sewage dumping.

The new watchdog will also take in the powers of the Environment Agency (EA), Drinking Water Inspectorate, and Natural England to avoid duplication of efforts and provide one regulatory system for the industry.