英国工党议员和地方市长向首相提出一项改革方案，建议将陷入困境的水务公司转变为由当地运营的非营利性合作社，作为国有化之外的替代路线1。该提议旨在实现公共控制，同时避免增加政府债务负担1。
曼彻斯特市长安迪·伯纳姆对国有化水务公司可能造成的债务增长表示担忧1。根据这一提案，失败的水务公司将接受"救助"机制，由股东和债权人承担失败成本，而非由纳税人埋单1。改革还包括一套加强的监管措施：禁止向股东派息、限制高管薪酬并加强行业监控1。
议员们强调了这一变革的紧迫性。海伦娜·多利摩尔议员表示要"结束水务行业的掠夺时代"1，而奥利弗·科帕德议员指出"水是基本公用事业，根本不应该外包给私人部门"1。普拉弗·纳贡德进一步解释，"互助化提供了不同的路线……在不让纳税人为几十年失败买单的情况下提供公共控制和长期投资"1。
该提议包括对财务濒临崩溃的泰晤士水务公司进行试点，该公司目前正与政府谈判可能的救助方案1。
Labour politicians and local mayors have put forward a plan to transform struggling water companies into non-profit cooperatives as an alternative to full nationalization.1 The proposal aims to maintain public control while avoiding increased government debt, with Thames Water—facing severe financial difficulties—identified as a potential pilot site.1
Under the proposed framework, failing water companies would be converted into locally-run not-for-profit entities subject to strengthened regulatory oversight.1 The restructuring would include a "rescue" mechanism that places the cost of failure on shareholders and creditors rather than taxpayers, alongside measures such as dividend bans, caps on executive pay, and enhanced monitoring.1 Andy Burnham has expressed concern that nationalizing water companies would add to government debt.1 Praful Nargund characterized the cooperative model as offering "a different route...providing public ownership and long-term investment without saddling taxpayers with the bill for decades of failure."1
Several MPs have voiced strong support for the initiative. Helena Dollimore stated the goal to "end the era of predatory practice in the water industry,"1 while Oliver Coppard argued that "water is a fundamental utility and should never have been outsourced to the private sector in the first place."1 Thames Water is currently negotiating with the government over possible rescue options as its financial condition deteriorates.1
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