West Oxfordshire District Council calls for Thames Water to be put into ‘non-profit ownership’
West Oxfordshire District Council, which covers Chipping Norton has called for Thames Water to be returned to ‘non-profit ownership’.
The council has voted to write to the government asking it to put Thames Water into a special administration regime (SRA) and then into ‘non-profit ownership’.
It came after the council debated the performance of Thames Water on March 25, noting the discharges of raw sewage into waterways and the burst water mains across the district.
The council also discussed the ‘Dirty Business’ programme aired on Channel 4 recently, which showed the impact of the pollution on waterways in Oxfordshire.
Cllr Andy Graham, leader of the council, said: “The council has made it clear that we feel that Thames Water is not meeting it duties and is failing our communities and the environment.
“We feel the only answer is for Thames Water to be brought into special administration to ensure that bills our residents pay are spent on the vital investment our water and sewage infrastructure needs.
“We will also request the government step in to stop private investors and senior managers from financially benefitting while the company continues to fail its customers.”
The council also wishes to draw attention to the dangers of untreated sewage in waterways, including pathogens such as E. coli and Hepatitis A.
Cllr Hugo Ashton, executive member for planning, said: “This is about protecting both new and existing residents, as well as our environment.
“We want to see sustainable growth in West Oxfordshire, but that must not come at the cost of worsening sewage spills or placing further strain on an already overstretched system.”