The total pay for chief executives and chief financial officers across 14 English water companies rose to £25.3 million over the past year. This increase in executive remuneration occurs as customers in England experience rising water bills and issues with untreated sewage being discharged into waterways and onto beaches.
Some companies, such as Thames Water, are reportedly on the brink of insolvency and are seeking government support. Critics suggest that England's privatised water companies have prioritised shareholder interests, with dividends to parent company shareholders totalling £57 billion between 1991 and 2019.
In contrast, Scotland retained public ownership of Scottish Water. Between 2002 and 2019, Scottish Water invested 35% more per household in infrastructure compared to privatised English companies. It also charges users 14% less and does not pay dividends to shareholders, with profits reinvested into water and sanitation systems.
England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, has highlighted the public health concerns associated with sewage in England's waterways, noting that human faeces can cause illness for those using popular beaches and rivers.