What is the Clean Water Bill?

The Government is bringing a Clean Water Bill to Parliament. And this could be the biggest opportunity in our lifetime to fix the broken privatised water system. BUT, as it stands, plans for the Bill don’t go far enough.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Water Bill – and the tools you need to get your MP on board, turn up the pressure and demand the real change our waters need.

In May this year, the Government announced a Clean Water Bill as part of its legislative program for 2026–27. Alongside it came confirmation that Ofwat — the water regulator that has so catastrophically failed our rivers, lakes and seas — will be scrapped and replaced.

This is a huge step forward in our campaigning. For everyone at Surfers Against Sewage, and for the hundreds of thousands of you who’ve signed petitions, taken part in protests, and refused to accept sewage pollution: this is a significant moment. 

The Clean Water Bill is a step forward in the Government accepting that something must be done to clean up our waterways. With this win for the cause, we can now switch to asking – will it be strong enough to solve the problem? 

So, what actually is the Clean Water Bill?

The government will introduce “legislation to clean up the water industry” through a new Clean Water Bill. It’s part of the Government’s plans to reform the sector announced in their Vision for Water earlier this year.  

In short: it could rewrite the rules for our water industry – and decide whether we finally get a system that works for people, public health and the environment, or stay stuck with the broken status quo.

This Water Bill will: 

• Create a new Water Ombudsman to give households and communities more recourse when water companies fall short. 

• Restructure water regulators into one ‘super regulator’ with a wider remit covering both the economic and environmental performance of water companies. 

• Provide the mandate for companies to secure longer term, more sustainable finance for investments. 

• Make housing development and sewage work better together to provide for new homes. 

What we think

This is a huge moment for water. And its important to take a moment to celebrate! This is the first comprehensive bill for water in the UK since privatisation. After 30 years, it’s a recognition of the problem and evidence that our campaigning is paying off. 

We think the Bill is a step in the right direction, the regulators have failed and this restructure could help if they are properly funded to do their job. Yet we’re worried it doesn’t go anywhere near far enough. 

And for the sake of water users across the UK, this can’t be a missed opportunity. 

Whilst the Government has admitted that the water system is broken, they are not looking to change its structure. This is despite our calls to restructure the industry from its roots, to stop their unrelenting drive for profit and dividends for shareholders at the expense of everything else. 

That is why we are calling on the Government to review the alternatives before we see the full details of the bill when it is launched in full later this year.  

In the meantime, we think they could add the following 5 key things into their bill:

1. Water companies should have a legal duty to protect public and environmental health
2. The Government should be given a roadmap to end this privatised water industry. Ensuring the backstop for government to reshape failing companies are clear and strong and that companies are provided with a potential route to restructure.
3. The new Integrated Water Regulator primary duty must be to protect public and environmental health by enforcing the law.
4. Ensure water companies are managed democratically, ensuring regional water authorities are made up of waters users, customers, local authorities, environmental groups and engineers
5. The bill must protect the health of all water users wherever, whenever and however they use the water.

What are we calling for?

How you can take action

In September, we took 340,000+ petition signatures demanding an end to the sewage scandal straight to Number 10.

We’ve taken your voices to the top. Now let’s take the pressure local. Find out how below. 👇