Independent Water Commission: final report will be published on 21 July 2025
Published 18 July 2025
Applies to England and Wales
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-water-commission-final-report-will-be-published-on-21-july-2025/independent-water-commission-final-report-will-be-published-on-21-july-2025
In October 2024, the UK government and Welsh Government announced an Independent Water Commission into the sector and its regulation, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.
On 27 February 2025, the Independent Water Commission published a call for evidence. This set out the current issues in the sector and areas for potential change that the commission has been exploring.
On 3 June 2025, the commission published its interim report containing its preliminary findings.
On 21 July, the commission will publish its final report containing recommendations to the UK and Welsh governments. Once the commission has made recommendations, both governments will respond in due course.
As set out in the terms of reference, the commission is tasked to make recommendations to ensure that the water sector works for customers and the environment. This includes by ensuring that:
- there is a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water across sectors
- the water industry has clear objectives
- the water sector regulatory framework delivers long-term stability and enables the privatised water industry to attract investment, maintain resilient finances and contribute to economic growth
- requirements on water companies are rationalised and clarified to achieve better environmental, customer, economic and financial outcomes
- water industry regulators are effective, have a clear purpose and are empowered to hold water companies to account.
- industry’s delivery capacity, including the supply chain and consideration of how to drive innovation, is improved
- the interests of consumers, including vulnerable and non-residential customers, and affordability are protected
- water companies are operationally, as well as financially, resilient and can deliver resilient and secure infrastructure within agreed timeframes and maintain it for the long term