Three water companies in the UK are facing fines totalling approximately £168 million following record sewage spills.
An investigation by the water regulator Ofwat found that Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water failed to adequately invest in and maintain their networks.
The penalties proposed for consultation will see Thames Water fined £104 million, Yorkshire Water fined £47 million and Northumbrian Water fined £17 million.
The recommended £104 million fine for Thames Water would be the highest ever imposed on a water company.
In a press release on Tuesday, Ofwat said the firms “failed to ensure that discharges of untreated wastewater from storm overflows occur only in exceptional circumstances, which has resulted in harm to the environment and their customers.”
It added there was a “strong correlation” between high spill levels and operational issues at their wastewater treatment sites, “which points to these companies not having properly operated and maintained their wastewater treatment works.”
Ofwat said the companies failed to upgrade their assets where necessary, and were slow to grasp their obligations to limit pollution from storm overflows.
Commenting to The Epoch Times on Tuesday, Ofwat’s Chief Executive David Black said the regulators investigation revealed how the three water companies “routinely released sewage into our rivers and seas,” as opposed to exercising the spill-over option in “exceptional circumstances,” as the law intends.
“The level of penalties we intend to impose signals both the severity of the failings and our determination to take action to ensure water companies do more to deliver cleaner rivers and seas,” said Black.
The penalties relate to their management of wastewater treatment works and wider sewer networks including their operation of storm overflows.
These are designed to release water in exceptional circumstances, when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed—for example during prolonged heavy downpours or snowfall, preventing sewage flooding into people’s homes.
The regulator made it clear that the penalised water companies will not be able to recover the money for any proposed penalties from customers.
Talking to PA Media on Tuesday, Environment Secretary Steve Reed said, “It is right that those responsible for illegally polluting our rivers, lakes, and seas face the consequences.”
Reed stated the new government intends to fundamentally reform the water sector.
“We have announced our first steps to clean up the water industry in our Water (Special Measures) Bill, to cut sewage pollution, protect customers and attract investment to upgrade its crumbling infrastructure,” said Reed.
Ofwat said more than two-thirds of Thames Water’s wastewater treatment works with Flow to Full Treatment permits had capacity and operational issues, while one in six of its storm overflows were found to be in breach of regulations.
Yorkshire Water’s wastewater treatment works were in better shape, with 16 percent having operational issues.
But the investigation found 45 percent of its storm overflows were in breach.
Meanwhile, 3 percent of Northumbrian Water’s wastewater works had issues, while 9 percent of its storm overflows were in breach.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement on Tuesday: “We are disappointed with Ofwat’s response to their investigation into our wastewater treatment networks.
“Since the start of this process in November 2021, we have cooperated fully with the investigation and we will continue to seek clarity on their Draft Penalty and Enforcement notice.”
Yorkshire Water said it will be responding to the notice by September 10.
Campaigners Welcome Fines
Chair and Founder of River Action Charles Watson told The Epoch Times, “Last year sewage was discharged across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales more than 596,666 times.”That amounts to 1,600 discharges per day.
Watson celebrated that the water regulator is “finally waking up to the scale of the public’s outrage,” with “meaningful penalties being imposed upon the worst offenders.”
He stated that last year alone, shareholders of the water industry were issued £1.4 billion in dividends.
“Until the ability of these polluting companies to hand out so much cash is severely curtailed, pollution will continue to be a highly profitable activity with inadequate incentives for the water companies to fix their creaking infrastructure and stop filling our rivers with raw sewage.”
Surfers Against Sewage Chief Executive Giles Bristow believes the fines illustrate the sheer state of disrepair of our broken water industry.
Bristow told The Epoch Times on Tuesday, “Whilst these findings are bleak this is a win for campaigners who have been demanding those in power enforce the letter of the law.”
“It’s time those in power prioritised public health, the environment, value for customer money and crack down on the profiteering polluters,” he added.
“We will be making sure Ofwat keep their pledge that companies will not be able to recover the money for any penalties from customers and that customers will not be charged twice where additional maintenance is required.”
