Water industry

Thames Water is desperate for cash. But board should still exploit bondholder rivalry | Nils Pratley

Roll up, roll up, who wants to lend £3bn to Thames Water, a company already drowning in debt? It turns out a lot of people do. Two rival groups...

New Water Commission must create an environmental enforcer that is feared

An independent commission into the English and Welsh water sector would have been an excellent idea about 20...

Water firms ‘laying groundwork’ to appeal against Ofwat bill rise cap, says Moody’s

Water companies are “laying the groundwork” to appeal against Ofwat’s decision to rein in how much they can...

Don’t indulge the Thames Water whingers next week, prime minister | Nils Pratley

The Labour government’s first international investment summit arrives next week, a chance for ministers to advertise the splendid...

English water system singled out for criticism by UN special rapporteur

The privatised English water system has been singled out for criticism by the UN special rapporteur on the...

Calls for failing English water firms to be taken over using special administration

Thames Water and other failing water companies should be placed into special administration to allow the government to tackle much-needed reforms to the industry,...

Thames Water could be blocked from new debt financing next week

Thames Water has said it could be blocked from raising new debt as early as next week, as the struggling water company fights for...

Thames Water credit ratings slashed to lower levels of junk as default fears grow

Thames Water’s debt rating has been slashed to the lower levels of junk by two major credit rating agencies, piling further pressure on the...

Elliott, unlike Thames Water’s board, sees the inevitability of debt writedowns | Nils Pratley

Is it good or bad news that hedge funds are having a punt in the debt of Thames Water? The speculators include Elliott Management,...

Water firms in England and Wales lost more than 1tn litres from leaks last year

Water companies in England and Wales lost more than one trillion litres of water last year in leaks, the Observer can reveal.The figures, based...

Many protected landscapes owned by English water firms in disrepair, data shows

Water companies are allowing important natural landscapes they own to fall into disrepair, data shows, with only 16% of sites of special scientific interest...