Independent Water Commission Findings Amid UK Sewage Crisis

WINDERMERE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: In an aerial view of the Lake District, a combined sewer overflow (CSO) pipe discharges into the River Brathay which feeds into Lake Windermere on August 11, 2025 in Windermere, England. Local campaigners have reported that up to 1.1 million litres a day of treated and untreated sewage, during storms, is permitted to be released from the CSO sewer pipe. The Independent Water Commission report published on July 21 handed down 88 recommendations on how the government should address the issues facing the embattled, privatized water industry in England and Wales. Following the report's findings, the government said it would abolish the water industry regulatory body, Ofwat, after years of sewage spill scandals, lack of investment in infrastructure, and financial mismanagement by water companies. The report also recommended raising consumers' water bills to offset investment, as well as making smart meters compulsory. Critics of the report say it failed to address structural reform of the water industry, allowing water companies to continue prioritizing shareholders over the public. (Footage by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)