Thames Water is the UK's biggest privatised water company. It loaded itself with £19bn of debts, largely to keep its shareholders and CEOs happy. There's currently an attempt to extract a further loan in an attempt to stave off re-nationalisation. A very large proportion of any increased investment, however, is likely to be consumed in fees for the competing teams of lawyers, bankers and public relations advisors (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/10/how-army-of-advisers-is-making-millions-from-thames-water-loan-court-case). Privatising an effective monopoly was always a bad idea. There's can be no effective competition. England's water companies haven't focussed in providing a service for users (consider the repeated leaks and discharges of raw sewage into rivers). They've been used in stead as 'cash cows'.by armies of speculators. Ultimately, they may have to be re-nationalised, costing the tax payer dear.
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