Water workers offer to police industry as they call for public probe

The GMB's annual congress last week heard that water company workers are "willing to be the eyes and ears of the regulators," in a bid to curb "gross mismanagement” of the industry.

An emergency motion passed last week at the congress called for an urgent public inquiry into the governance of, and investment in, the whole water industry. The union said that while “sewage dumping” was the headline issue, “gross mismanagement" of the entire water industry was the wider concern.

GMB Congress delegate, Cliff Roney, said: “Thousands of GMB members who work in this industry are passionate about the survival of their industry and are willing to be the eyes and ears of the regulators.”

He added: “We need the government to look at the wider picture for clean, safe water. This is not just about sewage pollution it is also about our waterways, coastlines and water systems dying. “Along with massive investment, for real change to happen the regulators and government must work together in partnership with the industry. No more apologies, just real action for improvement.