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Debate on government support for Thames Water

Water is a regulated monopoly in England, with regional water companies responsible for providing water and wastewater services to customers across the country.^[1] There are three regulators of the water sector: Ofwat (the economic regulator, broadly responsible for setting the price of water), the Environment Agency (the environmental regulator), and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (the drinking water quality regulator).

Thames Water is a private utility company that supplies water and wastewater services to Greater London (London and the Thames Valley). It is responsible for providing these services to over 16 million customers.

This debate pack sets out further information about the water sector and the Labour Government’s plans. It includes information on Thames Water’s performance, company structure, finance, and recent court cases. It also includes recent parliamentary debate and press references.

[1]               Water is a devolved matter; it is a regulated monopoly in both England and Wales, with water supplies delivered by private water companies, while in Scotland and Northern Ireland, publicly owned companies are responsible for water supply.