Ofwat is calling on more water companies to trial innovative ways of charging customers, to make bills more affordable and help encourage customers to use water wisely.

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee is warning that under investment, insufficient government strategy, and inadequate co-ordination has resulted in a failure to “treat water with the care and importance it deserves.”

Water company customers and stakeholders will have the chance to question and challenge water companies' future plans in public meetings, set to take place online over the next three months.

Ofwat has today announced new powers that will enable it to stop the payment of dividends if they would risk the company’s financial resilience, and take enforcement action against water companies that don’t link dividend payments to performance.

Alan Lovell DL, Chair, Environment Agency and Sir James Bevan KCMG, Chief Executive, Environment Agency are due to give evidence in person today when they appear before the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

United Utilities is shortly due to appear in the Supreme Court in Manchester at 11am for the start of a two day hearing to argue it should not be held liable by private landowners and individuals for sewage released into UK waterways.

The Government has published its action plan for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) aimed at speeding up the delivery of major infrastructure projects, including those in in the water and wastewater sector.