Ahead of a major report into the water industry in the UK, Sean Farrington spoke to Tim Whittaker, Director of EDHEC Infra & Private Assets Research Institute, to find out what the government can do to meet its ambitions.

The segment from BBC Radio 5 Live’s “Wake Up to Money” programme on 21 July, 2025 discussed the UK government’s plans for a major overhaul of the water sector, following the imminent release of a final report from the Independent Water Commission which is expected to serve as a catalyst for regulatory reform aimed at addressing long-standing issues in the sector.

Tim Whittaker described the Independent Water Commission as a response to long-term regulatory failures in the UK water sector, including rising bills, persistent sewage discharges, and deteriorating infrastructure. He expects the biggest changes to involve strategic planning improvements and a major overhaul of both the economic and environmental regulators, which he says have been ineffective. Ideally, financial “innovation” in the water industry should be halted, allowing it to focus on simplifying the system and delivering water and sewerage services at the lowest possible cost. He also highlighted the challenge of balancing regulatory reform with the need to attract private investment, warning that excessive risk or low returns could deter future investors.

Listen to the segment here (32:02 to 37:45).

Read our research paper, “Low Tide: What the Data Showed About Thames Water”, here.