FBU urges government to take UK water sector into public ownership

FBU calls for public water control amid fire safety concerns

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has called on the UK Government to take control of the water supply, citing fire safety and public health concerns.

According to a statement issued by the FBU on 16 July 2025, private ownership of the water sector has resulted in inadequate investment, leading to unreliable water pressure and polluted supplies that endanger both firefighters and the public.

The FBU’s statement coincides with the upcoming release of findings from the Westminster and Welsh governments’ “Independent Water Commission”, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.

The Commission’s remit, set by ministers, did not include the option of public ownership, a limitation that has drawn criticism from both campaigners and experts.

The FBU joins several groups in arguing that the government should prioritise public control to ensure clean, reliable, high-pressure water supply for emergency services.

Political limits of the Cunliffe Commission

The Independent Water Commission, also known as the Cunliffe Commission, is preparing to present its final report on the regulation of the UK water sector.

Chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, the Commission was established by the UK and Welsh governments to examine issues in the industry but was explicitly barred from considering public ownership.

Campaign groups opposed to sewage pollution have argued that the Commission’s restricted remit undermines its ability to address systemic problems.

The FBU has criticised this constraint and pointed to alternative reviews, such as the People’s Commission on Water, which recommended full public ownership.

The FBU said the lack of investment and poor infrastructure maintenance by private companies has left fire services with inadequate water access during critical incidents.

FBU cites firefighter safety and health risks

Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Steve Wright said: “The public has a right to expect that firefighters have the clean, high-pressure and high-flowing water supplies they need to extinguish fires.

“It’s preposterous that the UK, which has high rainfall, has to endure water shortages because of poor planning and investment.

“Private companies have siphoned off billions in profit while failing to adequately maintain water pipes, resulting in unreliable water pressure across England.

“In rural areas, communities need assurance that sewage-polluted water from open sources won’t be used to put out crop fires.

“The ongoing scandal of companies releasing sewage into rivers continues to put the public at risk. Firefighters, on the frontline of floods and countryside fires, should not have to face the additional health risks of polluted water.

“Our expensive, leaky and sewage ridden system is the direct result of a failed privatisation experiment. It’s time for the government to take water back into public hands.

“The water companies should have no entitlement to compensation.”

Parliament to question Thames Water leadership

Executives from Thames Water are scheduled to appear before MPs on 16 July 2025.

Their appearance comes amid growing pressure over the company’s financial stability and pollution record.

The FBU and other groups have highlighted Thames Water as an example of the wider problems facing the UK’s privatised water companies.

MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee recently criticised the sector’s structure, saying it fails to deliver the cultural and operational reforms needed.

The committee concluded that the current ownership model is not aligned with long-term public or environmental interests.

Alternative reviews support public ownership

The People’s Commission on Water, an academic-led review, recommended public ownership as the most effective way to improve performance across the sector.

Its findings suggest that public control would lower costs, increase investment and reduce pollution.

The FBU has aligned itself with these recommendations, stating that fire services depend on secure and safe water infrastructure.

The union’s position reflects wider dissatisfaction with the outcomes of water privatisation since the 1980s.

This includes issues of leakages, sewage discharges, and the failure to build resilience for emergencies such as wildfires and floods.

FBU urges government to take UK water sector into public ownership: Summary

The Fire Brigades Union has called for the UK water sector to be brought back into public ownership.

The FBU said private ownership has failed to deliver clean, reliable, high-pressure water for firefighting operations.

The union issued its statement ahead of the final report from the Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.

The Commission was not permitted to consider public ownership as part of its remit.

Campaigners and academics have criticised this restriction.

An academic review, the People’s Commission on Water, recommended public ownership as the best path forward.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee also called for major reforms in the sector.

FBU General Secretary Steve Wright said current infrastructure fails to meet the safety needs of firefighters and the public.

Thames Water executives will appear before MPs on 16 July 2025.

They are expected to answer questions about water quality, pollution, and investment levels.

The FBU said firefighters should not have to work with polluted or low-pressure water.

The union said the government must act to protect both emergency responders and communities.