The crisis at Thames Water: what’s the way out and what will it cost?

Thames Water is in the process of securing £3bn of additional, high-cost debt to enable it to continue to operate. It has also called on Ofwat to allow it to increase customer bills by 53%. Despite the repeated downgrading of Thames’s credit rating and a disastrous environmental record, the government has so far refused to use its powers to take the company into special administration.

Our speakers will provide an overview of how poor financial practices have led Thames Water to the verge of collapse, and what special administration would mean in legal and financial terms. They will be happy to answer your questions about Thames, the economics of the water sector more widely, and the costs and benefits of alternative ownership models.

The issues affecting Thames can be found across the sector, so MPs from outside the Thames Water area are also welcome to attend. Staff are welcome to…