‘IT’S TIME TO PULL THE PLUG ON THAMES WATER’ SAYS LOCAL MP
Local Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson says it’s time to “pull the plug” on Thames Water following a damning committee hearing
Today, Twickenham MP Munira Wilson joined a group of Liberal Democrat MPs from across London and the South of England to call for the Government to place Thames Water under special administration following company bosses being grilled by MPs.
This morning, Chris Weston (CEO), Sir Adrian Montague (Chair) and Steve Buck (CFO) were questioned by MPs at a select committee hearing in parliament.
They were grilled about the financial viability of Thames Water and its current restructuring plan, following recent news the company has just taken on an additional £3 billion of debt.
In February, Liberal Democrat MP for Witney Charlie Maynard urged the High Court to prevent Thames Water from taking on this debt, representing the interests of the company’s 16 million customers.
Thames Water executives were also questioned about the role they have played in polluting England’s waterways.
Data from earlier this year has revealed that Thames Water were responsible for almost 300,000 hours worth of sewage spills in 2024.
When Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton and member of the Environment committee Sarah Dyke pressed Sir Adrian about the performance of their turnaround plan, he apologised to the committee admitting “we know are letting customers down”.
Liberal Democrat MPs representing constituencies affected by Thames Water have released the following statement:
“Today’s hearing has just confirmed that Thames Water is floundering, with no idea about how to actually deliver for their customers. They are living in a parallel universe.
“Successive governments have all idly stood by as Thames Water has spoiled our waterways with sewage dumping and racked up billions of pounds worth of debt whilst slapping customers with eye-watering bills.
“The Government must finally pull the plug on Thames Water. That is why we are calling for Thames Water to urgently be placed under special administration.
“We are also calling on the Government to finally scrap Ofwat and replace it with a regulator actually capable of holding water companies accountable to ensure this can never happen again.”
Munira Wilson said: “Thames Water has plunged itself into billions of pounds’ worth of debt, yet it’s customers who are paying the price.
“We need to be cracking down on failing water companies, not propping them up. I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues want to see Thames Water put into special administration and Ofwat replaced by a real regulator with teeth.”
The full list of Liberal Democrat MPs who have signed the statement are as follows:
Munira Wilson (MP for Twickenham)
Sarah Olney (MP for Richmond Park)
Chris Coghlan (MP for Dorking & Horley)
Victoria Collins (MP for Harpenden & Berkamsted)
Daisy Cooper (MP for St Albans)
Bobby Dean (MP for Carshalton & Wallington)
Will Forster (MP for Woking)
Zöe Franklin (MP for Guildford)
Olly Glover (MP for Didcot & Wantage)
Monica Harding (MP for Esher & Walton)
Clive Jones (MP for Wokingham )
Paul Kohler (MP for Wimbledon)
Helen Maguire (MP for Epsom & Ewell)
Charlie Maynard (MP for Witney)
Calum Miller (MP for Bicester & Woodstock)
Layla Moran (MP for Oxford West and Abingdon)
Joshua Reynolds (MP for Maidenhead)
Hours of spillage in 2024 broken down by water company can be found here. Original government source is here.