Last month, the Labour Government made a major announcement: the abolition of Ofwat and the creation of a new, single, powerful regulator to clean up our water system.
Let me be clear – this isn’t just reshuffling bureaucracy. It’s a long-overdue reset for a sector that has been allowed to spiral into crisis. Under the Conservatives, water companies dumped record levels of sewage into our rivers and seas. Families across West Cumbria and the country watched in disbelief as bills rose, beaches closed, and no one was held to account.
No more. Labour was elected to deliver change, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
The new water regulator will bring together functions currently split across Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. For too long, a fragmented system meant no one had clear responsibility – and the result was murky, polluted waterways, leaking pipes, and sky-high bills.
Now, there will be one body whose sole job is to protect our rivers, lakes, and seas – and to protect you, the consumer.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed has also announced a new water ombudsman. This consumer champion will have legal powers to act on behalf of customers – resolving disputes, clawing money back when you’ve been overcharged, and making sure water companies are held to basic standards. No more passing the buck when there’s a leak, an error in your bill, or your water supply fails.
The Independent Water Commission’s final report called for root-and-branch reform. So we’re launching the biggest overhaul of the water sector since privatisation. And we’re backing it with one of the largest infrastructure investments in our history – £104 billion to rebuild crumbling sewage systems, upgrade treatment plants, and a bold commitment to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030.
Under Labour, our rivers, lakes and seas will be the cleanest since records began, meaning families across West Cumbria will benefit from cleaner beaches, lakes and rivers. We’ll hold water companies to account for the clean up with the biggest investment ever in water monitoring and regulation. And we’ll make companies cover the cost of prosecutions and successful investigations into pollution incidents, enabling the regulator to hire more staff and pursue further enforcement activity.
In our part of the country, clean water isn’t a luxury – it’s part of who we are. Families swim in our lakes and sea, walkers traverse our becks and rivers, and generations of farmers have looked after these landscapes. They deserve better than the mess left by 14 years of neglect.
Thanks to Labour’s plan, bills are now ringfenced to force investment into upgrades – not bonuses. And over £100 million in fines are being spent on local clean-up projects.
This is what a serious government looks like. Not slogans. Not excuses. But instead hard work to sort out knotty problems.We have a long way to go. But with this plan, we’re turning the tide.
Josh MacAlister MP 