Liberal Democrats pledge to abolish water regulator Ofwat

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Manuela Perteghella has pledged to Stratford-on-Avon voters that her party will abolish Ofwat and replace the water regulator with a body having real teeth.

“The water industry is utterly broken and Ofwat has proven itself completely incapable of holding Severn Trent properly to account and protecting our area's environment,” she said.

“This Conservative government has sat idly by as the sewage scandal has wrecked our waterways. Our water industry needs top to bottom reform. We must crack down on water companies dumping filthy sewage into our rivers and onto our beaches.

“Liberal Democrats here in Stratford-on-Avon have led the campaign against sewage dumping and our party has the boldest policies for cleaning up the mess.

“Our plans for a new regulator would end the disgraceful water company profits and executive bonuses, and make sure Severn Trent Water protects our environment.

Bonuses for Severn Trent Water bosses had reached nearly £14 million since the last general election in 2019, she added, despite the ongoing sewage scandal.

The proposed new regulator for England and Wales would ban all water company executive bonuses, penalise water companies for sewage pollution and ensure the industry was fully transparent about the pollution it was causing.