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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Sandra Laville

Bring water firms in England and Wales into public ownership, commission urges

A sign warning about sewage in the river
Ewen McGaughey, one of the report’s authors, said: ‘We can have clean water or privatised water but we can’t have both.’ Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock

Public ownership of the water industry in England and Wales is the best way to cut bills, reduce pollution and invest in repairing infrastructure, according to a wide-ranging people’s commission into the industry.

Set up by four academics with expertise in economics, water governance and the law to “fill the gaps” of the government-appointed Cunliffe commission, the inquiry will present its findings to MPs on Monday.

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