Surrey Lib Dem MPs say Thames Water penalty is “final nail in the coffin” for failing company

Liberal Democrat MPs in Surrey have called for Thames Water to be turned into a public benefit company, following the news that the water company has been fined £122.7 million pounds.

The penalty has been given to Thames Water after they breached rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts, and the company has faced significant criticism after years of shoddy services and high bills for their customers.

Following this news, Surrey Lib Dem MPs have criticised Thames Water for failing to deliver for their customers, and have echoed the party’s call to scrap the lax water regulator Ofwat. 

Liberal Democrat MPs in Surrey have released this statement:

"It is shocking, but hardly surprising that Thames Water are once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Thames Water has been failing for years; failing to invest, failing to maintain and failing to deliver. With almost 300,000 hours of raw sewage being pumped into our rivers in 2024 alone, this Ofwat fine is the bare minimum.

"Whilst we are pleased that our constituents will not have to foot this bill, Ofwat’s findings are further proof that Thames Water is not fit for purpose and not delivering for the people of Surrey. 

"While they continue to saddle our constituents with their debts, Thames Water continues to breach their legal obligations, causing untold damage to our local waterways.

"This should be the final nail in the coffin for Thames Water. It needs to be turned into a public benefit company and Ofwat needs to be scrapped and replaced with a real regulator with teeth."