Campaigners to use Thames Water high court case to push for temporary nationalisation

Judge to rule on utility's plea for 3bn debt lifeline as MPs and charities say emergency loan too costly for customers

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A group of MPs and charities will argue that Thames Water should be put into a government-handled administration at a court hearing to decide whether to approve 3bn in emergency funding.

A high court judge will hear from Britain's biggest water supplier and groups of rival creditors on Monday before deciding whether to approve the rescue, which would stave off a temporary nationalisation through a special administration. Without the debt lifeline, Thames Water has said it could run out of cash by March.