Wednesday 20th May, 2026
Last week, the Westminster Government’s Clean Water Bill was announced in the King’s Speech. Outlining the reform of the water sector for England and Wales, this was part of the process resulting from the 2025 Cunliffe review.
The Bill proposes multiple measures to improve water company performance, focusing on its regulation, customer and environmental protections, investment and corporate responsibility.
However, is it the reform we in Wales need?
Wales already has many of the proposals put forward in the Clean Water Bill, such as sustainable urban drainage (SuDs).
Lacking ambition
At first look, the Bill does not look very ambitious.
Wales already has a single environmental regulator and it is UK-leading in delivery of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) to counter flood risk.
Its water companies are already providing live overflow monitoring and, to be frank, the infrastructure investment proposals in the Bill do not provide anything that is not already in place in Wales….or in England for that matter.
Welsh Government’s Green Paper Promised Much More
Launched in February this year, a Welsh Government Green Paper proposed water reform that was different, more ambitious and more suitable for Wales.
Following an Afonydd Cymru and Fish Legal challenge on land spreading, it proposed options for bringing all applications under tighter Environmental Permitting Regulations. The previous Government had committed to that, so it is a key outcome for reform in Wales. The Clean Water Bill is, however, less specific and more ambiguous as to how pollution caused by spreading material to land should be resolved.
The Green Paper also recognised that if rivers were to improve, national systems planning was needed to drive outcomes across all sectors affecting water (this is about much more than water companies) and would simplify and improve planning, permitting and delivery in Wales.
Water reform is needed in haste
If rivers and nature in Wales are to improve, speed is of the essence in all areas. We are in a nature crisis and fish species such as salmon and sewin at risk of extinction in some Welsh rivers within the next five years.
We have little detail on the transition plan for reform in Wales, but the need for more devolved powers for water potentially signal a disappointing delay. It means that without these devolved powers, on paper, the economic management of water in Wales will remain under an English regulatory body for the next water company business planning process. In other words, until 2035.
In its manifesto, Plaid Cymru committed to “work to ensure every water body in Wales achieves a minimum of ‘good’ status”. With 60% of waterbodies currently not achieving that standard (and it would be far more if Wales assessed chemicals properly), water reform will need to deliver rapid improvements across multiple sectors.
But Plaid’s pledge came without any timescale commitment. By when will they ensure 100% good status and, realistically, is this ever going to be possible? The current deadline of 2027 will be well and truly missed.
Matching EU standards
Prior to the election, Plaid stated an ambition to introduce a “European Alignment Bill”, tying Wales to EU standards for all devolved matters.
This is welcome and consistent with proposals for water reform in Wales. It would tighten current environmental standards and match Plaid’s pledge to be evidence-based.
However, EU standard alignment is not a strong message within the current form of the Clean Water Bill from Westminster.
The Bill does make a welcome commitment to “the polluter pays principle” which was also in the Plaid manifesto.
But the new Welsh Government should also consider adopting the Green Paper’s promotion and extension of the “producers’ responsibility principle”, particularly if they also want to meet one of their pledges to resolve contaminated land. That’s why water reform needs to extend further than just the water industry.
Full devolution over water required
Plaid has promised to “take back control of our water” from Westminster. Such determination to secure more devolved powers is necessary. Cleaning up rivers will not happen without it.
Full devolution over water would allow Wales to deliver its additional commitments under its own, specific legislation. It could also be the first piece of the puzzle in solving the perennial problem of cross-border river management and the start of a much-needed National Plan for Water in Wales.
If they are successful in securing further devolution, Plaid will use the additional powers to (in its words) “improve water quality, tackle pollution, and support greater long-term affordability for households.”
How it would do that remains to be seen.
Wales already has some of the highest water bills in the UK and some of the most polluted rivers. With a not-for-profit water company and significant investment needed, the new Government might find improving water quality and ensuring affordable bills impossible to achieve in practice.
Since devolution, Welsh legislation and policy differences have usually been overlooked by Westminster. And the Clean Water Bill is another piece of legislation made in England with sections that are not appropriate for Wales. To proceed with our own, effective water reform, responsibility for water sector policy should be placed entirely in Cardiff.