The government can’t sit back and watch the Thames Water “car crash,” a major union has warned.
GMB’s warnings come after a Guardian investigation alleged Britain’s biggest water company is in a far worse financial state than previously admitted.
Insiders told the paper that Thames had failed to adequately address serious safety concerns, upgrade essential IT and tolerated a culture of intimidation among staff. Some £23bn of its assets are in “urgent need of repair,” while the supply of water to its 16m customers is on a “knife-edge,” the Guardian reported.
Further sources alleged the water firm’s IT systems were so antiquated they have become easy for cybercriminals to attack and are “falling apart.”
“Previous owners have left Thames Water in a perilous state – no one will be surprised by the latest revelations,” Gary Carter, GMB National Officer, said.
“Thames needs committed long term investment just to keep operating, never mind stop the leaks and cut the sewage spills. Then it must be held to account and deliver for customers, with its skilled workforce central to the turnaround.”
He warned: “If that investment isn’t forthcoming then the government must act fast and put Thames into special administration.
“Ministers can’t sit back and watch the car crash.”
However, a government spokesperson claimed the company “remains stable” as ministers closely monitors the situation.
Thames Water said the Guardian story did not “accurately reflect Thames Water’s operations or its culture, where the wellbeing and safety of our colleagues and customers is always our highest priority.
“We supply 2.6bn litres of water every day, rated among the highest quality of drinking water anywhere in the world, and all our sites operate to stringent health, safety, and security standards.
“We’ve been very open about the ‘asset deficit’ we face, and the challenges we will have meeting future demand if it’s not addressed. That’s why we have set out an ambitious plan for 2025-2030 which asks for £20.7bn of expenditure and investment with an additional £3bn through gated mechanisms, so that we can meet our customers’ expectations and environmental responsibilities.
The spokesperson added: “Further, we take our requirements to protect customers’ personal data and maintain essential services extremely seriously. We regularly review our systems to ensure their continued reliability.”