https://www.ft.com/content/bc9f886f-...NNm-LJoueyT1Hw


Ofwat has opened cases into four more water and wastewater companies, expanding its investigation of sewage outflows to all water and sewage utilities in England and Wales.

Severn Trent, United Utilities, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy will be included in Ofwat’s investigation into how companies manage their wastewater treatment works, the regulator said on Tuesday.

David Black, chief executive of Ofwat, said it was the “largest and most complex investigation Ofwat has undertaken”.

“The fact that Ofwat now has enforcement cases with all 11 of the wastewater companies in England and Wales demonstrates how concerned we are about the sector’s environmental performance,” he said.

Water companies are facing an onslaught of regulatory and legal cases following evidence that they are tipping unknown quantities of raw effluent and storm water into coastal waters, rivers and lakes, risking the environment and public health.

Last week the Supreme Court ruled that private landowners and individuals can seek redress for sewage released into UK waterways, paving the way for further legal claims.

The Environment Agency, another regulator, is also conducting its largest-ever*criminal investigation*into potential widespread non-compliance by water and sewerage companies at more than 2,200 sewage treatment works.

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Just 16 per cent of waterways in England and Wales meet minimum EU standards for ecological status and none meet the standards for chemicals, according to official Environment Agency data.*

Investment in water infrastructure also appears to be lagging Europe. Wastewater companies in England and Wales upgrade 0.2 per cent of their assets each year, a third of the European average of 0.6 per cent, according to a 2022 report by the industry lobby group Water UK.