Coastal and River Communities Unite in Call for a Say in the Future of Water Regulation

With support from Surfers Against Sewage, three South West groups—Friends of the Dart, Friends of the River Teign, and the St Agnes Water Users Group—took part in a three-hour session with Sir Jon Cunliffe, Chair of the Independent Water Commission. Together, we made the case for deeper community involvement in water industry regulation.

All three groups made the case for greater transparency and accountability from water companies, so that communities and water users can clearly understand what improvements are being made in their local areas. A key theme was the importance of allowing community groups to participate in the prioritisation process for improvement plans.

Rob Worthington of Friends of the Dart said that:

“If bill payers are going to have to pay twice to solve this problem then the regulator must require water companies to provide detailed information on how our money is being spent. We need to know how much is invested in which site and by when the upgrades will be completed.”

The meeting, held in St Agnes, Cornwall, included a live water sample test by the St Agnes Water Users Group, which Sir Jon—a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England—participated in. Rob Worthington of Friends of the Dart reflected:

“Sir Jon Cunliffe got to see first-hand the dedication of the St Agnes group, who take water samples from their local beach throughout the year. He also witnessed how vital clean waters are to their community.”

The meeting closed with a shared reflection on the importance of the water environment to river and coastal communities in the South West. Stuart Reynolds of Friends of the River Teign noted:

“Only by involving local communities in how our rivers and seas are protected can we begin to restore public trust in the water industry.”

Sir Jon’s report, expected by the end of June, is anticipated to call for a radical overhaul of the current regulatory system governing England’s water companies.