Thames Water, the UK’s biggest water company, which services 16 million people across the south of England, is facing criticism over its management.
Kemble, the parent company of Thames Water, told its creditors last week that it had defaulted on its debt. Amid fears that the company will collapse, the government is considering options for next steps.
England is one of the few countries in the world which has an entirely privately owned water system.
Helena Horton, the Guardian’s environment reporter, tells Hannah Moore about the standoff between Thames Water’s shareholders and Ofwat, the government regulator. She explains why we are seeing sewage in our rivers and leaks throughout the system, and why we may face water shortages this summer.
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
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