MPs set to question Welsh Water bosses on performance

Dŵr Cymru – Welsh Water’s senior executives will appear before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee on 11 March as part of the ongoing inquiry into reforming the water sector.

The session will scrutinise the company’s environmental and financial performance, focusing on issues such as pollution incidents and sewage discharges.

The EFRA Committee has been holding a series of evidence sessions with water companies to assess their service delivery, customer satisfaction, dividend payouts, executive bonuses, and debt levels.

The upcoming session with Welsh Water will provide MPs with an opportunity to examine the company’s practices and address public concerns regarding its environmental impact.

Recent reports have highlighted challenges faced by Welsh Water.

In March 2024, industry regulator Ofwat imposed a £40 million fine on the company, concluding that it had “misled customers and regulators on its performance on leakage and per capita consumption”.

Additionally, Natural Resources Wales downgraded Welsh Water to a two-star rating, indicating that the company “requires improvement” (research.senedd.wales).

Despite these setbacks, Welsh Water has outlined plans to enhance its environmental performance.

The company has proposed investing nearly £1.9 billion in environmental initiatives between 2025 and 2030, an 84% increase compared to the 2020-2025 period.

This investment aims to address issues such as pollution incidents and infrastructure resilience.

The EFRA Committee’s inquiry takes place amid wider discussions on the future of the UK’s water sector.

The Independent Water Commission, established by the UK and Welsh governments, has launched a call for evidence to explore potential reforms, with recommendations expected by June 2025.

Peter Perry, CEO of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, and Samantha James, Interim CFO, are due to represent the company at the EFRA Committee session on 11 March. The hearing will be held in Committee Room 6 at the Palace of Westminster and will be available for live viewing on parliamentlive.tv.

This session will be a key moment for Welsh Water to respond to parliamentary scrutiny and outline its approach to improving environmental performance and financial transparency.