Let’s

Take Back Water

It's time to turn the tide on 40 years of privatisation and failure.

Join the movement today

We demand public ownership.

Private ownership of water has failed us. Billions of litres of raw sewage are pumped into our waterways every year. Water company bosses have paid out billions to shareholders while leaving our reservoirs and pipes to crumble – and now they're planning to raise bills to make us pay to clean up the mess.

Most of us want water to be publicly owned. No matter where we live, what we look like or who we vote for, we agree that water should belong to all of us and be run in our interests. Yet we know that no major party with power in Westminster will do it.

Under the government's most recent plans, failing water companies will have their debts paid off and then put up for sale. We want to make that sale as difficult as possible.

Without leverage, there’s no power in the demand for public ownership.

A map of the UK in various shades of blue, with the regions for each water company divided up.

Our Tactic

The water companies rely on us paying our bills to make money.Thames Water alone takes in £2 billion every year. This is our only leverage – if we can coordinate to use it.

So we’ve come up with a new tactic: short-term withholding of payment. This is a form of financial disobedience to build confidence and power from below – and it’s how we can make ourselves heard on the issues that matter most. To do so, we need hundreds of thousands of people to participate whilst ensuring we keep each other safe.

Now is the time to act. The water industry is vulnerable. Thames Water, the largest water company, is on the verge of collapse after being loaded with over £15 billion of debt it can’t repay. With the rest of the industry also crumbling under a mountain of debt, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity for public ownership by and for the people.

If we don't do this now, the failing water companies will likely be re-sold and the cycle will repeat.

Here’s the plan

We’re giving the new government 100 days to commit to public ownership. This gives us until October 14th to prepare to call the first strike wave — if they refuse to act.

We’ll use the first 100 days to build Take Back Water as a movement. We’re taking action together, so we need to convince as many of our friends, family and neighbours to pledge to participate. Our website will show a running total of the number of people joining our movement.

Are you in?

With companies like Thames Water on the verge of collapse, the privatised water industry is vulnerable.

We know this is an ambitious plan so we need your help to make work. Will you join us?