Senedd presses for a review into public ownership for water in Wales

Members of the Senedd have pressed the Welsh first minister, Eluned Morgan, for the Welsh Government to commission its own review into the water industry, to assess the merits of bringing water into public ownership.

Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price reasoned that compensating shareholders is the blocker to nationalisation in England, but that wouldn’t apply to not-for-profit Welsh Water. He and others championed the virtues of public ownership, including in terms of accountability, performance and cost.

Morgan highlighted that Welsh Water’s not for profit structure stood it apart from English water companies, and said the Welsh Government was fully committed to the Cunliffe Review. 

• A new solar project at Welsh Water’s Five Fords wastewater works in Wrexham will see a five-fold increase in generation. 40,000 new solar panels will be installed, adding to the 10,000 already in place and complimenting existing biomethane production and combined heat and power on site. Together, the ‘energy park’ will produce 8% of Welsh Water’s annual electricity and gas use.