Britain’s water companies have been told to pick up the pace. In a strongly worded letter to industry bosses, Ofwat chief executive David Black urged firms to speed up construction of major infrastructure such as reservoirs and to find smarter ways to get projects completed earlier and more efficiently.
The call comes as pressure on the sector mounts. With water bills rising, pollution scandals growing, and public confidence eroding, the regulator wants quicker delivery of improvements.
Ofwat has approved steep increases in household water bills (up by an average of £86 this year, and £157 over five years) to help fund a £104 billion overhaul of pipes, sewers and treatment systems.
Thirty major projects, including nine long-awaited reservoirs, are planned across England and Wales in the next 15 years.
Ofwat says many must begin within five. The last major reservoir was built more than 30 years ago.