London and Valley Water said on Thursday that its plan was the “fastest and most reliable route” to turn around Thames, clean up waterways and rebuild public trust.
Investors said they would inject an initial £5.4bn into the company to shore up its finances and support future investment, but they suggested the cash injection needed to be set against “stretching but achievable and realistic performance targets”.
They said no dividends would be paid out to shareholders over the duration of the turnaround plan and that new shareholders would commit not to sell the business prior to March 2030.
Outstanding fines would also be paid, the lenders added.
London & Valley Water said it aimed to reach an agreement with Thames and water industry regulator Ofwat “as quickly as possible this autumn given the urgent need to stabilise Thames Water”.
Mike McTighe, the proposed future chair of Thames Water under the terms of plan, said “from day one, we will inject billions in new investment”.
He added that under a new company board, there would be a focus on “reducing pollution and rebuilding public trust so that by the end of this decade Thames Water can once again be a reliable, resilient, and responsible company”.
Ofwat said it would review the latest plans.
In response to the plans, Chris Weston, chief executive of Thames Water, said the announcement marked an “important milestone” in the company’s work to resolve its debt problems and secure its finances to “support the investment and performance improvements our customers expect”.
The revised turnaround proposals come after Thames suffered a major blow in its attempt to secure its future this summer when US private equity firm KKR pulled out of a £4bn deal.
In July, the boss of Thames Water, Chris Weston, said the company was “extremely stressed” and that it would take “at least a decade to turn around”.
Water bills for households in England and Wales have risen by £10 per month on average this year, although costs vary depending on suppliers. The bills for Thames Water’s customer have gone up from £488 to £639 a year on average.