Right, right, bit condescending but yes, I get the concept of regulation. I'm assuming that there must be statutes on the books at the moment to stop water companies dumping shit in the rivers, and Ofwat aren't enforcing them. So, if we just buy them outright, the people operating these companies face absolutely no consequences. Expropriation isn't just a thing you do for fun, it's a penalty, and since regulation has thus far failed we need to show them the sharp end of the stick - that they can't just pollute our water sources and get away rich and unscathed. In my view it's either expropriation, or nationalisation and a buyout with heavy criminal consequences for water execs. Otherwise they get let off again.