Hi John,

Today the government released a White Paper, in what it’s calling “the biggest overhaul of the water system in a generation.”

Let’s not dress this sh*t up. 

This White Paper is a total WHITEWASH.

After years of sewage pollution, record spills, rising bills and thousands of people being made sick, the government has chosen to protect a broken system - not fix it.

They’ve repackaged failure, slapped a new label on it, and hoped we wouldn’t notice.

But we have. 🤬🤬🤬

What the government is suggesting

Ministers say their new Water White Paper will ‘fix’ the sewage crisis by:

💩 Scrapping Ofwat and creating a new ‘super-regulator’
💩 Introducing ‘MOT-style’ checks on water company infrastructure
💩 Appointing a Chief Engineer to oversee assets
💩 Rolling out smart meters and efficiency labels for household appliances
💩 Promising stronger inspections and earlier intervention when companies fail

But you can’t polish a turd. None of this tackles the real cause of the sewage scandal. This is not transformation - the system itself remains unchanged.

A crisis caused by design - not accidents

The sewage scandal isn’t happening because water companies lack inspections. It’s happening because our water system is designed to put profit before people and the planet.

For decades, private water companies have been rewarded for pollution:

💸 £74 billion paid to shareholders
🤑 £69 billion loaded onto company debt
🤮 Over half a million sewage dumps in 2024 alone

Yet the government has refused to confront this truth - even blocking the Independent Water Commission from properly examining alternative ownership and governance models.

Instead, this White Paper is locking us into the same broken system, for decades to come.

An 'MOT' won't fix a rotten industry

The government says water companies are to get ‘MOT-style’ checks. So… if you give a sewage-spewing monopoly the same test as a 2008 Ford Fiesta, everything will be fine..?! 🚗

We hate to break it to you Keir: the privatised water industry doesn’t need an MOT - it needs taking off the road.

Offering a few weak checks and energy-saving tips in the middle of a public health and cost of living crisis is frankly insulting. 🤬

People keep getting sick

We refuse to accept this

The truth is glaringly obvious to everyone except this government. As long as the industry is structured to prioritise profit, people will keep paying the price with their health and soaring bills.

Real reform means:

🌊 Putting public and environmental health first in law
🌊 Treating water as an essential public service, not a commodity
🌊 Ending rewards for polluters
🌊 Giving communities real power over decisions
🌊 Creating regulators that are independent, fearless and fully funded

Until those changes happen, sewage will keep flowing - no matter how many press releases are polished or how many regulators get fancy new job titles.

What happens next?

Ministers want this White Paper passed quickly and quietly. So we’re working hard behind the scenes to highlight exactly what it gets wrong and how we can push for real change. ✊

Now it’s up to MPs to stop these flawed reforms - and we need to pile on the pressure. 📣

So join the fight. Contact your local MP or MS. Let them know that their constituents demand clean water, real oversight, and an end to sewage pollution. 

Use our action guides below to help! 👇