Farron: Govt must protect customers and replace Ofwat

EMBARGO: Immediate Release 

Responding to the news that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has allowed five water companies to increase bills by a higher amount than Ofwat had originally allowed, Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, said:  

“This is not a functioning market; it is a rigged racket. Customers are seeing their water bills rocket, whilst leaky infrastructure further deteriorates and gallons of disgusting sewage is pumped into British rivers and seas.

“These increases are disgraceful and insulting to customers. They shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the failures of private water companies to clean up the mess they themselves created. And we shouldn’t have a regulator that can simply be ignored.

“Enough is enough. The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to get on with replacing Ofwat with a new, powerful regulator and implement a single social tariff to better protect the most vulnerable customers.”  

ENDS