Reports Thames Water could be taken over by government

Thames Water could be taken over by the Government, with its £15 billion debt added to the public purse, reports have suggested.

A blueprint codenamed Project Timber is being drawn up in Whitehall, according to the Guardian newspaper, which could see the UK's largest water company effectively nationalised.

Under the plans, the company - which serves 16 million customers in London and the Thames Valley region - would be placed in a form of special administration in the scenario that its parent company fails.

Once under the stewardship of ministers, it could be broken up into two separate companies serving London and the Thames Valley, the newspaper said, though the Government and water regulator Ofwat remain optimistic this will not happen.

Some of Thames' lenders could lose more than a third of their investment under the plans, according to the reports.

There is deep concern within Westminster about Thames Water's finances, with multiple MPs having raised concerns about its struggle for cash to stay afloat in the Commons.

The Government would not be drawn into directly commenting on the contingency planning, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) only saying it prepares for a "range of scenarios".

"As a responsible Government, we prepare for a range of scenarios across our regulated industries - including water - as the public would expect," a Defra spokesperson said.

Financial woes

Thames Water has reportedly drawn up an updated business plan, which could be published within days amid its financial woes.

It had originally wanted to raise customer bills by 40% to fund an investment programme worth £18.7 billion under plans published in October, but the company said water regulator Ofwat had imposed regulations on the plan which made it "uninvestable".

The company has £2.4 billion cash available as of February, enough cash for it to remain solvent until next year, possibly delaying any decision about its future for the next government.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson and Richmond Park MP, Sarah Olney said: "Millions of households and taxpayers deserve to know Thames Water's fate. This corporate clown show must end now.

"The secret plans must be published immediately. Thames Water should have been put into special administration long ago, but the Government is too weak to take on this disgraced polluter."

Neither Ofwat nor Thames Water wished to comment on the reports.

Need to put 'environment before profits'

Speaking on a visit to Elmbridge, Surrey, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was concerned water companies were being allowed to get away with polluting rivers.

His party is proposing a new Tsar, which would see an environmental expert sit on Thames Water's board.

Sir Ed added his party would support the temporary nationalisation of Thames Water, but called for the introduction of not-for-profit public benefit corporations long-term, which he claims would "put the environment before profits."

"It's a way of making sure neither the taxpayer, not the billpayer, have to stump up millions."

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