Water industry regulator Ofwat is calling for a game change on leakage as widespread criticism of the water sector continues during the heatwave which currently shows no sign of any letup.

Rachel Fletcher Chief Executive for Ofwat said:

“Ofwat wants to see a game change on leakage in the water sector. We’ve thrown down the gauntlet for water companies to cut down on leakage by 170 billion litres a year - enough to meet the yearly needs of everyone in the cities of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff combined - 3.1 million people.”

“Our role is to regulate water companies and not customers’ water use. That is why we have set a challenging target on companies to reduce leakage and have shown that we will take tough action those that fail to meet their leakage commitments.”

Rachel Fletcher also responded to a report in yesterday’s Sunday Times newspaper which quoted Ofwat as saying “We would like to see consumption returning to the levels of the 1960s, when it was around 85 litres per person a day.”

The Ofwat chief commented:

“We have not said that water consumption should return to the levels of the 1960s. Water is an essential service and water companies must be prepared for whatever the weather brings. As well as reducing leakage we expect water companies to do much more to provide customers with the tools they need to use water wisely.”

The water sector has become the focus of ongoing scrutiny and criticism as the current heatwave continues with no sign of any respite. An article in last week’s Sunday Times reported that the combined pensions deficit gap in the retirement funds of 10 companies, including Thames Water, Severn Trent and Wessex Water, had nearly doubled to more than £1.9 billion by March 2017 — up from £1 billion a year earlier. The funds’ total liabilities — the value of the retirement benefits they are committed to pay — had also grown by 24% to £14.4 billion during the same period, according to the newspaper’s analysis.

Criticism of United Utilities is the headline frontpage news this morning of The Daily Mirror newspaper which has published a scathing article entitled Bled dry by greedy bosses – fury as water fatcats pay £180m to shareholders instead of plugging leaks.

The lengthy article says the £180 million dividend payout comes as seven million United Utilities customers across the North West of England face restrictions on the water they use in their homes from 5^th August.