According to News, the £169 billion asset management firm Royal London Asset Management (RLAM) is urging the regulated water firms in the UK to process wastewater more efficiently in order to mitigate the dangers associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Its appeal comes at a time when the water sector is under unprecedented public and political scrutiny for its operations, finances, and governance, with Thames Water, the biggest participant, on the verge of bankruptcy.
The large fund manager’s call on AMR highlights the growing global concern about its impact on global health.
AMR is one of the top ten health hazards according to the World Health Organization, with 10 million deaths per year from it predicted by 2050.
The industry watchdog, Ofwat, and several of the UK’s water providers are embroiled in a heated dispute about their spending plans for the upcoming five-year regulation period.
Recent months have seen a resurgence of the national debate over river water quality, with investors like RLAM hoping to bring attention to problems like AMR and the challenges facing water corporations.
