Peers blast water funding (Image: Getty)

       Britons face possible water shortages in future because of under-investment in infrastructure, peers have warned.

       The Lords' Industry and Regulators Committee (IRC) blasted the Government’s “lack of leadership and deep-rooted complacency” following an inquiry into the water industry.

       The cross-party peers warned under-investment will have “serious long-term consequences” for the environment.

       They said water bills are likely to increase in a letter to Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.

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       Environment Secretary Therese Coffey receives letter from Lords (Image: Getty)

       Lord Hollick, chair of the IRC , said: “While the Government has begun to set out its vision for the sector, our cross-party committee has concluded unanimously that there is insufficient policy or drive to meet the Government’s targets.

       “Sadly, the only thing that is becoming clear in the murky, polluted waters of the sewage crisis is a lack of leadership and deep-rooted complacency.

       "The Government must therefore provide firmer policy detail and greater guidance to regulators, who cannot be left to resolve these huge challenges by themselves.

       “In particular, the Government must give clear guidance on the trade-off between much-needed investment and the level of customer bills.”

       The peers also expressed dismay with delays in banning wet wipes containing plastics, which they called “unnecessary and deeply damaging” to the environment.

       The government reannounced plans to ban plastic wet wipes that clog up Britain's sewers in April.

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       Parliament building (Image: Getty)

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       The government previously pledged to crack down on wet wipes, first in 2018 and again in 2021.

       The Lords’ report also found proposals for reducing water demand are insufficient to meet Government targets.

       Lord Hollick said: “We look forward to the response from the Secretary of State, setting out how she intends to do this.”

       The committee called on the Government to set out what action it intends to take to increase investment in the water sector and introduce compulsory water metering.

       A Defra spokesman said: “We take our oversight of the water industry incredibly seriously and firmly disagree with these conclusions.

       “We are delivering increased investment, stronger regulation, and tougher enforcement right across the sector. This includes being the first government to set ambitious targets for water companies to address storm overflows, which the High Court has ruled go even further than existing law.

       “We agree that more needs to be done. That’s why we are introducing unlimited penalties for polluters, driving the largest infrastructure programme in water company history, and have set clear expectations for water companies to deliver the changes that we all want to see.”

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