Angling Trust calls for radical reforms to end sewage scandal and deliver a water industry fit for purpose

The Angling Trust has published the comprehensive and detailed submission it sent to the Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, outlining the reforms needed to make the failing water industry fit for purpose.

The Trust is calling for the creation of a single water regulator and an end to the confusing and inefficient separation of financial and environmental regulation in the industry. Currently, the Environment Agency sets standards, while OFWAT often fails to approve the investment needed to achieve them. Under the Angling Trust’s proposals, OFWAT would be abolished, and the EA reformed and strengthened.

It has never made sense to have two entirely separate main regulators overseeing the water industry since privatisation. It is impossible to separate the consequences of economic regulation from their impacts on the water environment.

This focus on keeping prices low has meant both OFWAT and the government have failed to address the need for system resilience — whether in the face of floods, droughts, or other climate change impacts.

With many water industry assets now well beyond their intended lifespans, the Angling Trust is urging the Commission to give serious consideration to establishing a single water regulator with direct responsibility for the entire industry. This would cover supply, wastewater, drinking water standards, financial probity, prices, and investment. Environmental standards should be set by a new Environmental Regulator — potentially a combined Environment Agency and Natural England — enshrined in law and enforced by the new water regulator.

Central to this is the need to protect the environment and ensure there is enough water, of the right quality and quantity, to support habitats and allow wildlife to thrive. This is the foundation of any healthy water system and underpins the benefits it delivers to our economy and communities in terms of health, access, and enjoyment. As the recent High Court case confirmed, the Water Framework Directive must remain the key mechanism for delivering a healthy water environment. We call on the Commission to resist any attempts to weaken it.

Accountability and transparency also feature strongly in our proposals, including the establishment of 11 new, powerful Regional Water Commissioners — based in each of the main water company areas, appointed directly by the Environment Secretary, and answerable annually to Parliament.

These Commissioners would have wide-ranging powers to act as champions for customers and the environment. They would hold water company executives to account, attend board meetings, demand information, instigate inquiries, and act as consumer ombudsmen. Where appropriate, they would serve as whistleblowers and alert regulators early if needed. This model would deliver far greater transparency and accountability than currently exists and provide Parliament and the Secretary of State with much-needed influence over the management of this vital public service.

We recommend that, at a regional level, an expert panel of experienced and knowledgeable individuals — with a balance of expertise in water, environmental, and consumer matters — work alongside the Commissioner to provide a local focus and ensure better oversight and public engagement. Local catchment partnerships, rivers groups, and other stakeholders — including wildlife and water recreation organisations, along with consumer advocates — would have a role in nominating a proportion of the membership, alongside the Environment Agency and local authorities.

Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust, said:

“The Cunliffe Commission is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to right the wrongs of the flawed privatisation of this failing but absolutely vital sector. The chronic lack of investment has seen infrastructure crumble, leading to more leaks, more wastage, and more sewage spills — all while some £85bn has been paid out in dividends and executive bonuses, plunging the industry into an eye-watering £64bn debt burden.

“All of this has happened right under the noses of OFWAT, who have been more concerned with keeping water bills low than ensuring that our rivers and seas are free from pollution. Our plan for a single water regulator and new, powerful Water Commissioners based inside each main water company area should bring an end to the cover-ups and failures of the past and deliver the transparency and accountability that has been so badly lacking.”

We highlight the current state of pollution in the water industry: storm overflows spilled 450,398 times for a total of 3.61 million hours last year — only a small reduction from the previous year. Currently, only 16% of water bodies assessed under the Water Framework Directive meet good ecological status, and none meet good chemical standards. Under the Directive, all water bodies should meet good status by 2027, but they are on course to fail.

Stuart Singleton-White, Head of Campaigns at the Angling Trust, added:

“We believe water companies must be better governed, better regulated, and contribute more to environmental protection while delivering wider public and economic benefits. We need to reform how investment in our sewage and water networks is planned and delivered, with guarantees that the money is spent wisely and in the public interest. We also want to see better environmental and public outcomes — with the needs of the environment, including the protection of fish and wildlife, central to water management in the future.”

A full copy of the Angling Trust submission can be found here

The Independent Water Commission was established in October 2024 to deliver recommendations to government on reforms to the water sector. Its primary task includes ensuring that the water industry has clear objectives for future outcomes and a long-term vision to support best-value delivery of environmental, public health, customer, and economic outcomes.

Chaired by former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe, the Commission is focused on ensuring a robust and stable regulatory framework that can:
– Attract the investment needed for the future
– Speed up infrastructure delivery
– Restore confidence in the sector

The Commission will publish its interim findings in June 2025.