Rachael Maskell MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to reports that regulator OFWAT has proposed opening the market for water suppliers, said:  

“We know from recent reports that customers are paying too much for their water supply. As we have seen with the rail network, the solution for customers isn’t to carve the water industry up further, bringing in more private suppliers.

“Customers will rightly fear inflated prices from companies seeking a profit for water services, with the risk of downward pressure on standards of service. 

“Ofwat claim that this move will improve customer services, but this has not always be the experience of the public where commercialisation extended to other utilities. Water and sanitation is too important to turn into a market that doesn’t work for consumers. Labour will oppose such measures.”