It seems Thames is trying to scare the government into thinking the world will end if it falls into ‘special administration’

Make-your-mind-up time approaches for Thames Water. The directors may not have liked Ofwat’s “final determination” last month – even though the regulator allowed bill increases of 35% over the next five years – but if they wish to dispute it, Thames is free to appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The deadline to do so is 18 February.

Along the way, it seems, we’ll have to witness another round of lobbying and brinkmanship. In one corner, Thames seems to be trying to terrify the government into thinking the world will end if the company falls into the “special administration regime”, or SAR – the temporary nationalisation setup for failing or bankrupt water companies.