Water regulator should be scattered And replaced with the same body, which is to restore confidence in the betrayal industry, a historical review has ended.
Ministers Ditch should be trenched and system should be simplified According to the final report of the Independent Water Commission, a powerful regulator is looking at every field.
Report, led by former leadership Bank of England Deputy Governor Sir John Kanalif, Recommended for far -reaching changes The way the water system is regulated because it is called the current landscape “fragmented and overlapping”.
In its 88 recommendations, scrapping watt in favor of a powerful regulator is the most important change for the area.
It also advised to remove regulatory roles Environment agency And natural England, which monitor the impact of the region on nature, such as companies illegally dump sewage into the waterways.
The current system has faced intensive criticism to maintain Water companies During the years he paid the shareholders and earned large loans, while the infrastructure collapsed and sewage touched the sky.
After publishing his report, Sir John warned that the water bill would increase by almost one third by the end of the decade.
He told BBC Breakfast: “Bills are going to increase by 30% in the next five years. There are some unavoidable facts. The cost of watering and behaving with our waste water is increasing. Climate change, high environmental standards, demographic pressure, population is going up. Just need to renew the infrastructure of aging.
“The problem comes when you suddenly go from not investing for a long period, to invest on a large scale, to catch. It actually inspires the huge bill we have seen.
“We need to help the weakest people, we also need to smooth that in a long period so that people can withstand the high cost of water. And regulators have a really important work in squeezing the efficiency, encouraging companies to become more efficient.”
Environment Secretary Steve Reid said on Sunday that the tat was “clearly failed”, in an indication he would accept the recommendation to hit it ax.
He will also create a new, legally binding water Lokpal, which will expand the role of a voluntary consumer council for water and the region will be brought to suit other utilities.
And over the weekend, Mr. Reid committed to reduce sewage pollution in the rivers of England by 2030, which thanks to an investment of £ 104 billion from the sector in upgrading the infrastructure.
Other recommendations of the Commission include strong consumer advocacy, nine new regional water authority to distribute local priorities, significant improvement in environmental regulation and ownership of the company and strict monitoring of the government.
Regional officials – Eight in England and one National Authority in Wales – will look at the current planning responsibilities and transfer resources from regulators to ensure that investment reflects local priorities and voices.
It comes after about nine months of the commission, analyzing, researching and attaching more than 50,000 reactions to its call for evidence.
Sir John said: “To restore the trust is central for our work. Believe the bills are fair, the regulation is effective, that water companies will act in public interest and investors can get a proper return.
“Our recommendations are important to achieve this. They include managing the entire water system, regulation of water industry, governance of water companies and financial flexibility and a strong voice for local communities and water customers.
“In this report I admitted what is best for the long -term future of water.
“It is a complex area with a high integrated system, responsible for the second largest infrastructure program in the UK.
“It matters to all of us to reset this region and restore pride in the future of our waterways.” In countless interactions in the last nine months, I have been killed by passion for immediate need and change. “Doing so will require hard work, strong leadership and constant commitment. But this can be done and should be done.”
The report also shared recommendations on implementation, which of which reforms can be distributed in short term and requiring new primary law.
In a speech, responding to Sir John’s report later on Monday, the Environment Secretary is ready to welcome the recommendations of the Commission to ensure that “past failures can never happen”.
