The water industry is in crisis. Can it be fixed?

Last year England ’s privatised water firms released raw sewage for a total of 3.6m hours .

Some communities have been told to boil tap water to make it safe, others have seen their water supplies cut off for days or even weeks .

Environment Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC some parts of the country could face a drinking water shortage by the 2030s .

There is a widespread belief that investors and executives have sucked out money in dividends and pay that should have been invested in improving water firms’ infrastructure.

Many feel that was money that could have been spent helping to prevent sewage spills rather than ending up in investors pockets.

But over the same time frame water companies have invested 236bn , according to Water UK .

Regulator Ofwat allowed this increase in debt to happen as for many years it did not consider that it had the power to dictate how companies chose to structure finances.

Sir John Cunliffe will hear evidence from customers, companies, engineers, climate scientists, environmental activists and many others.

The setting-up of the commission was welcomed by Water UK on behalf of the sector.

All options are on the table, including the abolition of Ofwat , set up by Margaret Thatcher at the time of privatisation.