Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday the government will repeal the
statutory ban on public ownership of water companies and will introduce a
stronger Water Bill to allow future public control, pledging a 10-year program
to fundamentally reform the UK water system. England and Wales' water firms were
privatized in 1989; the sector has suffered repeated operational failures and is
criticized for prioritizing shareholder returns over environmental protection
and consumer affordability. Under the plan, mayors would gain new powers to
oversee and hold water companies accountable; Burnham said water issues
“symbolize the problems Britain faces” and describe the sector as one “where
shareholders always profit and the public never benefits.”
