Water regulator Ofwat has proposed fines totalling £168 million for Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water following an investigation into their wastewater management.
The fines, subject to consultation, include £104 million for Thames Water, £47 million for Yorkshire Water and £17 million for Northumbrian Water.
The investigation revealed that these companies failed to manage their wastewater treatment works and networks properly, resulting in unlawful discharges of untreated wastewater from storm overflows.
These overflows are meant to operate only in exceptional circumstances, such as during heavy rainfall, to prevent sewage from flooding homes.
Key findings from Ofwat’s investigation include:
- Failure to ensure untreated wastewater discharges occurred only in exceptional circumstances, causing environmental harm.
- A correlation between high spill levels and operational issues at treatment sites, indicating poor maintenance.
- Inadequate upgrades to assets to meet local needs.
- Slow response to their obligations to limit pollution from storm overflows.
Ofwat’s Chief Executive David Black said: “Ofwat has uncovered a catalogue of failure by Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water in how they ran their sewage works and this resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows.
“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.
“These companies need to move at pace to put things right and meet their obligations to protect customers and the environment. They also need to transform how they look after the environment and to focus on doing better in the future.”
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “We take our responsibility to protect the environment very seriously.
“We and our customers care deeply about river health and we want to provide reassurance that we have already taken considerable action to improve.
“For the past two years we have been industry leading for our wastewater treatment works compliance, we have more robust processes and procedures in place, and we have finished work at ten storm overflows with 44 on site as part of our £180m investment programme.
“Our business plan for 2025-2030 is currently being reviewed by Ofwat which is proposing our largest environmental investment of £7.8 billion.”
