UK
Public ownership of water works.
But Labour is ignoring the evidence – Compass
“The past few years have laid bare the catastrophic failures of water privatisation… Bills have soared for ordinary households, while shareholders and executives continue to extract billions in dividends and bonuses.”
By Clementine Boucher, Compass
In one of the most divided moments in recent history, one issue unites an overwhelming 82% of us across political lines: water – essential to life and a natural monopoly – should be in public ownership. Whether nationally, regionally, municipally, or through a new democratic model tailored to our country’s needs.
And it’s easy to see why.
The past few years have laid bare the catastrophic failures of water privatisation. Record levels of raw sewage have been dumped into our rivers and seas. Leaking pipes waste billions of litres daily. Water companies are drowning in debt. Bills have soared for ordinary households, while shareholders and executives continue to extract billions in dividends and bonuses.
Far from delivering a cleaner, more efficient service, the private model has resulted in a system in decline – unable to keep our water clean, fair or affordable. And with no new major reservoirs built since privatisation, the sector is woefully unprepared for the pressures of climate change.
While our system has gone down the drain, others have shown there’s a better way. Paris reclaimed public control of their water in 2010. Since then, bills have fallen, democratic oversight has increased, and investment in environmental clean-up has paid off: for the first time in 100 years, people can now swim in the Seine.
But in the face of such an obvious, popular and urgent opportunity for a total overhaul of our water sector, the Labour leadership’s reaction has been frighteningly poor. They have refused to challenge the power of water companies, insisting we can regulate ourselves out of a broken model.
Take, for example, Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s repeated claim that public ownership is too expensive – based on a discredited report funded by the water industry itself. Or the so-called “reset” review of the water sector, led by Treasury insider Jon Cunliffe, which ruled out examining public ownership before it even began. Instead of starting with the question, “What works best?”, it began by protecting the interests of the status quo.
To borrow a phrase from Rutger Bregman: it feels like we’re at a firefighters conference, and not allowed to talk about water.
We think it’s time to talk about water.
That’s why Compass has joined forces with Clive Lewis MP and a growing coalition of over 20 unions, anti-sewage campaigners, democracy advocates, and charities to call for a new approach – starting with putting public ownership firmly back on the table.
Fortunately, alternatives are already being built.
Over the past few months, the People’s Commission on the Water Sector – led by four independent UK academics – has travelled across the country listening to the public, speaking with experts, and studying the world’s most effective water systems.
Unlike the official review, theirs didn’t begin by excluding public ownership; it asked which model would deliver the best results.
Their conclusion is crystal clear: public ownership brings cleaner, cheaper and fairer water. And crucially, it’s possible to start right now.
We don’t need a massive buyout or taxpayer-funded nationalisation programme. Under existing laws, the government already has the power to begin bringing water companies back into public hands without costing the public a penny. All that’s missing is the political will.
Now it’s over to us to amplify this message everywhere – to MPs, civil society, and people across the country – and build deafening pressure on the Government to finally look at this solution. That’s why we’re backing the People’s Plan for Water.
We’re demanding:
- A clear, planned shift to public ownership, using powers Parliament already has.
- Water boards run by those with a genuine stake in clean, affordable water – workers, citizens and communities, not distant profiteers.
- Polluters made to pay for the damage they’ve caused, instead of the public footing the bill.
We’ve got the evidence, the solutions and the momentum. Now we must build the pressure to make it unavoidable.If you believe everyone should have access to clean, affordable water, add your name to the People’s Plan.
Labour has the power, and the responsibility, to lead. Let’s make sure they listen to the people they represent.
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