Abolish "flawed and feeble" water regulator Ofwat, say Lib Dems

This just in from the Shropshire Star:

Charities and private citizens should have the power to take polluting water companies to court because the Environment Agency cannot keep up with the industry’s rule-breaking, the Liberal Democrats have said. 

The party is calling for the creation of “citizen regulators” as part of efforts to combat sewage discharges into Britain’s rivers.

The Lib Dem proposals call for a radical overhaul of the water industry. The regulator Ofwat would be abolished and water firms turned into public benefit companies that put the environment before profit.

Tim Farron, the party's environmental spokesperson, is quoted in the story:

"It is time to put power in the hands of local campaigners to take these polluting firms to court. 

"The polluter must be forced to pay, but too often they are getting away with environmental destruction. The Environment Agency and regulator Ofwat have proved too flawed and feeble to take on profiteering water firms. 

"Conservative ministers have buried their heads in the sand for years, leaving wildlife to be poisoned and swimmers told to stay away from beaches and lakes. Conservative MPs have too often ignored the issue or, worse still, defended water companies."