The Liberal Democrat MPs for Wokingham, Newbury and Maidenhead have welcomed the news that Ofwat is being replaced by a tougher water regulator as a victory for local people.
Scrapping Ofwat and bringing in much stronger regulation of water companies to tackle sewage dumping was a key commitment in the Liberal Democrat manifesto last year.
Lib Dem MPs Clive Jones, Lee Dillon, and Josh Reynolds commented on the news:
In a statement they said: “We are pleased that action is finally being taken to tackle sewage dumping and clean up our rivers, after years of the Conservatives turning a blind eye to this scandal.
“The Liberal Democrats have led the way in demanding tougher action against sewage pollution, soaring bills and bloated bonuses for water company bosses, especially against repeat offenders Thames Water.
“People across Berkshire have known for years that Ofwat is not fit for purpose. In 2024 alone,
“Thames Water had 23,061 sewage spills into our waterways, for a total duration of 298,081 hours, yet bill payers have been left to shoulder the burden of keeping Thames Water afloat.
“This wouldn’t be happening without the incredible support we received from people across Wokingham, Newbury and Maidenhead at the general election last year.
“We have all heard from countless people who were furious about the state of our local rivers and the water companies, like Thames Water, being let off the hook.
“This fight is far from over. The government must now get on with setting up a new, stronger regulator to hold water companies to account.
“We will be relentlessly fighting to ensure sewage spills are stopped, bills brought down, and our waterways cleaned up for everyone to enjoy in future.”
