7 Mar 2025
As the government plans for the imminent collapse of Thames Water, we have written to the Chancellor and Environment Secretary to urge them to meet with us to discuss public ownership.
Dear Rt Hon. Rachel Reeves MP and Rt Hon. Steve Reed MP,
As you will be aware, this week Treasury officials began drawing up contingency plans to rescue Thames Water. The company, which 16 million people rely on for their water, is due to run out of cash by 24th March.
Even if the £3 billion bailout goes ahead, financed by households who already pay 33p in every £1 of their water bills on the company’s debt, this will not save Thames Water for long. It could run out of money again by October.
The longer you allow this failed company to stagger on, the worse the damage, the higher the price paid by the public and our rivers. We are calling on the government to bring this utility and natural monopoly into permanent public ownership now. 82% of voters want water in public ownership, and this is the normal way to run water in 9 out of 10 countries worldwide.
You can bring Thames Water into special administration using your existing legal powers, because it is financially insolvent and has failed to fulfil its statutory duties to look after the environment. It is absolutely vital that the company then stays in permanent public ownership. It would be hugely damaging to your reputation if you cleaned up the debt before reprivatising Thames Water.
Next Tuesday 11th March, we will be starting to assemble a Thames Water Emergency Board outside the Royal Courts of Justice. This board will represent households and billpayers, workers, anti-sewage groups and local councillors - these are the people we believe this company should be accountable to. They should have a seat at the table as decisions are taken about its future.
Will you meet with myself and a representative of the new Thames Water Emergency Board, for 30 minutes, at a time and place convenient to you, so that we can make the case for special administration, permanent public ownership and a voice for the households affected by these decisions?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cat Hobbs, Director, We Own It
Download our letter to government calling for public ownership
