Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher is backing calls for the water industry to be brought back into public ownership, saying the current system is “simply not working”.
MPs this week have the chance to debate the merits of holding a referendum on taking the water industry back into public ownership.
Dr Opher said the public wanted to see change after more than three decades of privatisation.
“The status quo simply isn’t working, and the public want to see change,” he said.
“Company bosses have racked up millions of pounds in bonuses while filling our rivers with sewage. In the Frome in Stroud, there have been nearly 3000 hours of ‘spillage’ this year alone.
“Since the industry was privatised more than 30 years ago, water companies have paid out £85 billion in dividends to shareholders. Yet, bills have soared as consumers are expected to pick up the tab to clean these firms’ mess.
“Earlier this year, Severn Trent were fined a record £4.6 million in pollution levies, but they still found the cash to pay their CEO up to £4.8 million in a single year.
“That simply isn’t right at a time when bills are rising, and our rivers continue to get polluted.”
Dr Opher said there were several potential models for bringing water companies into public ownership.
“There are different ways that we could structure the new ownership,” he said.
“One option is bringing failing companies into Special Administration before transferring them into public ownership. Another is a regional model, with infrastructure publicly owned but services delivered locally.
“We could also explore mutuals, giving customers and workers a direct say in how their water company is run. Internationally, hybrid models combine public ownership with public, mutual or private delivery.
“What matters is that we properly examine these options and find the model that delivers clean water, lower costs and public accountability.”
Dr Opher said he had also raised the issue with Labour mayoral candidate and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham at a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting last week.
“At a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting last week, I urged Andy Burnham to take the industry into public hands.
“He confirmed this is a priority for him and that we should expect an announcement soon.
“After decades of failure, that cannot come soon enough.”
