Southern Water: The Facts

• In 2023, Southern Water polluted for 317,285 hours. The company is in such financial straights that it was facing a dividend ban which came in after the credit rating agency Fitch downgraded their debt.
• Southern Water has paid out a total of £2.3 billion in dividends since privatisation in 1989.
• The company is owned by infrastructure investment funds. The largest stake (62%) is held by funds managed by Australian firm Macquarie, who previously owned Thames Water. Other key fund managers include US firm JP Morgan.
• Net debts have reached £5.7 billion. It was privatised with no debts.
• 27% of your bill is spent servicing Southern Water's debts.

Privatisation VS Public Ownership

• England and Wales are the only countries to have fully privatised water and sewerage systems.
• Our bills have gone up by 40% in real terms since privatisation.
• Publicly owned Scottish Water has spent 35% more than the English water companies. If England had done the same an extra £28 billion would have been invested in sewage and leak prevention.
• Public ownership can make water companies more accountable. Paris Water has bill payers and sewage campaigners on its board, alongside water workers and elected councillors. In the Netherlands, water companies have to publish data on their performance

Read more at our dedicated water policy page here: https://weownit.org.uk/public-ownership/water