Possibly due to the overwhelming possibility of Labour taking office in 2024. Labour hasn't been shy about wanting to rationalise the water industry in the UK.

The water companies here take the piss, to be frank. There is no competition, so it's a natural monopoly (per geographic area, there is one company responsible for the water supply), they pump shit into the waterways and take years to fix leaks.

All the while, these companies are raking in the cash and paying dividends to their shareholders. I genuinely don't care who "owns" the infrastructure, I'd just like whoever owns it to take their responsibilities seriously and keep it well maintained.