MP calls for investigation into Welsh Water

Islwyn’s Member of Parliament has called for a government investigation into Welsh Water, criticising the not-for-profit firm for its pricing and environmental record.

Labour MP Chris Evans accused Welsh Water of showing “blatant disregard for our environment while at the same time charging some of the highest prices in the country”.

He also accused the company of “failing its communities”.

Speaking in a debate on working people’s finances in the House of Commons on September 21, Mr Evans said it was “shameful families were let down on something as vital as their water bills”.

He said: “As we enjoy the last of the summer, our thoughts will soon turn to winter and the challenges of fuel poverty. The rise in rail fares, council tax increases and rising household energy bills are of concern to hard-pressed families, but what is rarely mentioned is the extortionate price of water.

“Access to safe drinking water is one of the most basic human needs. Water should not be expensive, and it should not be causing environmental damage to our local areas.

“This appears to be a bare-minimum service, but I am sad to say that in Wales, the co-operative Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is failing to meet even that standard.”

He added: “Wales has some of the most impoverished communities in the UK. In 2020, median gross weekly earnings in Wales were the third lowest amongst the 12 UK countries and English regions.

“Water ought to be affordable for all, yet Welsh Water’s forecast average bill in 2021/22 is the third highest of all the companies in England and Wales. To put this in perspective, Severn Trent Water, which covers most of Gloucestershire, Bristol and Birmingham, has among the lowest bills in the country, so simply living across the border means enjoying lower prices.

“It seems amazing to me that the City of London, where some of the richest people live, benefits from the lowest prices from Thames Water. Why is that the case? How can Welsh Water, a company that frequently touts its not-for-profit status, not be ashamed of the fact that it is forcing families with household incomes far below the average to pay some of the largest water bills in the country?”

Mr Evans has called on the UK Government and the water services regulatory authority Ofwat to investigate Welsh Water.

Welsh Water response

A spokesperson for Welsh Water said: “As a not-for-profit company that exists solely to serve its customers, we are conscious of the need to ensure we provide our services at a price our customers can afford. As a result, we have kept the increase in the average household customer bill to below Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation in each year over the ten years to 2020 – an unprecedented record. We also offer the biggest social tariff scheme of any utility company in the UK and we have a variety of support in place for customers in difficult circumstances.

“We are proud of our consistent customer service record, topping the customer measure of experience record by our regulator, Ofwat, last year. Most recently, an independent report by the Consumer Council for Water report has revealed how households in Wales who are customers of Welsh Water are generally more satisfied with their water and sewerage services than customers in England, while we also remain amongst the most trusted across the water sector.

“As a company so closely linked to the environment, we are very aware of the impact our operations can have on our surroundings and take our environmental performance very seriously. Our impact on the environment is highly regulated and closely monitored by our regulator Natural Resources Wales.

“We are pleased that our work to protect the environment to date ensured that we secured the top 4* rating in July 2021 after successfully meeting or exceeding targets set for our environmental performance.”