Northumbrian Water to pay £15.7m over community failings | EUROtoday

Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay out £15.7m after failures within the upkeep and operations of its sewage and water community.

Water sector regulator Ofwat stated the agency would pay out the “enforcement package” to native environmental causes and enhancements to the area’s water infrastructure.

The firm’s failures led to “excessive spills from storm overflows”, the watchdog discovered.

It comes every week after Thames Water was fined a file £122.7m having damaged guidelines over sewage remedy and paying out dividends.

Ofwat stated the enforcement bundle for Northumbrian Water was “greater than the penalty which would otherwise have been imposed” if it had fined the enterprise.

It additionally stated the bundle agreed with the corporate meant it could be spent on native enhancements for patrons, moderately than being directed to the Treasury’s consolidated fund.

Northumbrian Water chief govt Heidi Mottram stated: “We agree with Ofwat’s announcement that the financial settlement will be directed into speeding up our storm overflow reduction plans and in meaningful local initiatives via our Branch Out fund.

“This funding, which is able to come solely from Northumbrian Water shareholders and won’t be paid for by clients’ payments, will improve our ongoing efforts to assist native communities and shield and enhance the pure setting right here within the North East.”

Lynn Parker, senior director for enforcement at Ofwat, said: “Our investigation has discovered failures in how Northumbrian Water has operated and maintained a few of its sewage works and networks, which has resulted in extreme spills from storm overflows.

“The contraventions we have found at some of their sites will have had an impact on the local environment and customers and it is unacceptable.”

She added Ofwat now anticipated the water firm “to move at pace to correct the issues our investigation has identified”.

Northumbrian Water stated in December final 12 months it deliberate to extend its common water payments by round 21% over the following 5 years.