Calls for failing English water firms to be taken over using special administration

Thames Water, the biggest of the privatised firms, is struggling with debts of £15bn and attempting to shore up its finances. Photograph: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Archive/PA Images

Thames Water and other failing water companies should be placed into special administration to allow the government to tackle much-needed reforms to the industry, campaigners say.

Triggering special administration would put Thames and other failing companies in government control, removing company directors and ending the dividends paid to shareholders. The companies could then be transferred to new owners who could be publicly owned or controlled.