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Thames Water Warns of Potential Summer Restrictions as Drought Risks Rise

The UK’s largest water supplier reports record leaks, non-operational desalination plant, and financial instability while urging conservation efforts.

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Chris Weston, chief executive of Thames Water, told MPs that the company was a ‘big ship to turn round’
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Overview

  • Thames Water has moved to level one drought preparedness following the driest March in England and Wales since 1961, with reservoirs at 94% capacity.
  • CEO Chris Weston assured MPs that water supplies are secure but acknowledged potential usage restrictions depending on rainfall in the coming weeks.
  • The company is losing 56 mega-tonnes of water daily to leaks, while its £250 million Beckton desalination plant remains out of service for another summer.
  • Thames Water faces financial challenges, having operated on just five weeks’ liquidity in 2024, and is in exclusive talks with private equity firm KKR for a £4 billion equity injection.
  • Regulators and MPs have raised concerns over the company’s accountability, environmental performance, and the transparency of its proposed takeover by KKR.