Water Companies: Environment Protection
Commons · Question 116630 · Tabled 27 Feb 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Question
Asked by James McMurdock
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in preventing water companies from prioritising shareholder returns over environmental protection.
Answer
Answered by Emma Hardy, 5 Mar 2026
A stable and effective regulatory framework is crucial in attracting sustained investment to the sector. The Government supports Ofwat imposing tougher rules on water company dividends and bonuses, so that consumer bills never reward pollution. Ofwat wan...