Bring water companies into public ownership

Background

Require water companies to recognise the full cost of repairing and maintaining infrastructure on their balance sheets and place insolvent companies into special administration, with transfer to public ownership.

Additional details

If water companies were required to recognise the full cost of maintaining the assets they operate, some would become insolvent. Under existing law, essential utilities entering special administration can be transferred to public ownership to protect service continuity. Water is a natural monopoly and critical national infrastructure. Public ownership would allow long-term investment, environmental restoration and stable bills without shareholder extraction.