Water bosses have pocketed more than £70million in pay and perks over the past six years.
Bills have soared and billions of gallons have been lost in leaks yet nine fatcats running England’s privatised water firms have had windfalls.
In 2018 they had £11million in pay, bonuses, pensions and benefits.
Next month it will be 30 years since Margaret Thatcher privatised the industry.
In that time bills have risen by 40% above inflation, says the National Audit Office.
At its annual congress this week, the GMB union will call for the water industry to be returned to public hands as part of its 'Take Back The Tap' campaign.
GMB researchers estimate that through a combination of salary, bonuses, pensions and other benefits private water company fatcats made an average of £1.2million in 2018.
That is six times higher than the pay and pension of outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May who is paid £150,000, plus a £40,000 pension contribution.
GMB general secretary Tim Roache called water privatisation “a complete flop.”
“Customers are forking out tens of millions to private water’s top brass through ever increasing bills, while billions of gallons are wasted every year and we get whacked by hosepipe bans in the summer.
"I’m not sure how much more evidence is needed to show that this is just not working.”
Cat Hobbs, of anti-privatisation group We Own It, said: “It’s shocking but sadly not surprising to hear that the nine bosses of England’s privatised water companies have pocketed more than £70million over the past six years.”
A spokesman for Water UK, representing water firms, said bills have fallen in real terms for the past five years, leakages are a third lower than the mid 90s, and £50billion more is about to be invested.
He said: “We’re delivering for customers and the environment.”
