GB News's Katherine Forster has confronted Environment Secretary Steve Reed during an interview today, demanding to know when British citizens would witness genuine improvements to the nation's water crisis.
Her questioning came as the Government unveiled its most significant restructuring of water regulation since the sector's privatisation, amid mounting public frustration over escalating bills and environmental damage.
The Environment Secretary revealed plans for the most comprehensive transformation of water regulation in decades, with Ofwat set to be dissolved and replaced by a unified regulatory body.
Katherine asked the Labour Minister: "Steve Reed, you've said you're furious. Voters are absolutely furious about the state of our water. Their bills are rocketing.
GB NEWS
|Steve Reed faced a fierce grilling from Katherine Forster
"You're talking about a water revolution but is it really? When are people actually going to see any difference? Any real difference?
Reed replied: "Well, the water system is completely broken. As you said, we've got record levels of pollution in our rivers, lakes, and seas but we've also got record bill hikes. So customers feel like they're paying more and getting less.
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"What this Government is doing is leading a complete overhaul of the entire water sector, and that's why I'm calling it a revolution. There are three building blocks to that change.
"The first is resetting the system bringing in tougher criminal sentences for water bosses who are breaking the law over pollution, banning unfair multi-million-pound bonuses for those individuals.
"The second is rebuilding the system by bringing in the largest amount of private sector investment in history £104billion to upgrade the broken pipes beneath our feet and our rivers.
"That investment means we can cut water pollution in half over five years. The money started being spent in April this year, so change is already underway, and people will start to see it in the coming months and years.
"The third building block is changing the rules that govern water companies, which is what today’s announcement is all about."
"That means tougher regulation via a new ‘super regulator’ bringing together four regulators from the past.
"This body will ensure water companies are investing properly and keeping pipes in good repair, so we never again see the level of disrepair that led to last year’s massive bill rises."
GB NEWS
|Katherine Forster asked "when will we see change?"
The Environment Secretary also revealed plans for the most comprehensive transformation of water regulation in decades, with Ofwat set to be dissolved and replaced by a unified regulatory body.
The new authority will combine responsibilities currently spread across Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Speaking at Kingfisher Wharf on Monday, Reed outlined how the consolidated regulator would wield enhanced powers to tackle the sector's failures.