Water industry

Water watchdog is chasing its tail on executive bonuses | Nils Pratley

New rules on bonuses are “beginning to bite”, the regulator Ofwat has said as it detailed how nine water companies would “not be using customers’ money” to fund a...

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?...

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...

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...

Thames Water lobbied Whitehall to press Ofwat on allowing higher bills

Thames Water has lobbied the government to intervene with the regulator to allow it to charge far higher bills, the Guardian can reveal. Advisers and...

Thames Water says without steep bill increase it’s ‘neither financeable nor investible’

Thames Water has said it will be unable to recover from its funding crisis if it is blocked from charging customers significantly more, as...

Thames Water’s ‘difficult choices’ must include pain for bondholders | Nils Pratley

Is the board of Thames Water having a laugh? Having been told last month by regulator Ofwat that a plan to hike customers’ bills...

UK water companies to warn bill cap will drive away investors for overhaul

Water companies will struggle to raise the billions of pounds needed to clear Britain’s waterways and fix its creaking infrastructure under the regulator’s plan...