Wiltshire MP calls for stronger reforms to water regulation and accountability
Plans to overhaul the water industry fall short, says Sarah Gibson
Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, Sarah Gibson, has criticised the Government’s newly unveiled plans to reform the water industry, arguing they lack the urgency and depth needed to address longstanding issues affecting communities in Wiltshire. The proposals include mandatory infrastructure checks, the abolition of Ofwat, and the creation of a single regulator with greater powers to hold water companies accountable.
While welcoming elements of the reforms, Ms. Gibson said the Government was right to acknowledge the water sector's failings but warned that Wiltshire residents were still suffering costly consequences from years of mismanagement and weak regulation.
Ms. Gibson spoke out during a debate on the Water (Special Measures) Bill, highlighting significant failures by Thames Water in her constituency. She recounted instances of villages being left without critical water supplies, exacerbated by poor communication from the company:
“Villagers in a small community with no transport were unable to go and find that water, and Thames Water didn’t actually tell anyone it was there. Had it not been for the local supermarket telling people they had water in their car park, we wouldn’t have known. That is absolutely shocking.”
Her concerns were echoed by Toby Perkins MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, who stressed the need for tighter accountability and meaningful reform to rebuild public trust in the water sector.
Ms. Gibson argued that the Government’s plans fail to deliver the fundamental changes required to address issues such as sewage pollution along Wiltshire’s waterways and rising bills for local families. She called for a complete overhaul of the system, including a new ownership model where water companies are run for customers rather than shareholders.
She also advocated for greater transparency, insisting water companies should be required to publish the actual volume of sewage they dump, not just the duration of spills.
“Waiting years to scrap Ofwat and hoping companies will change their behaviour isn’t good enough. Communities in Wiltshire need action now, not promises kicked into the long grass,” Ms. Gibson said.
Under the Government’s Water White Paper, measures including no-notice inspections and tighter accountability for senior executives are expected to be introduced. A chief engineer will also be appointed for the first time in 20 years, restoring independent oversight of water company operations.
However, the lengthy timeline for the abolition of Ofwat and the unclear transition to a new regulator have sparked concerns among critics.
Ms. Gibson concluded that these steps represent progress but fail to tackle the scale of the problem adequately:
“Until water companies are properly accountable to the public they serve, communities in Wiltshire will keep paying the price for a broken system.”