Another water firm handed enforcement package for sewage failures

Wessex Water has go the latest inferior to look a multimillion lb enforcement bundle for sewage leaks, the manufacture regulator has announced.

Ofwat said the company, which has 2.9 cardinal customers successful the South West, was to wage £11m much towards its wastewater infrastructure upgrades alternatively of a fine.

The watchdog, which is facing the axe itself nether a planned shake-up of manufacture oversight, said Wessex failed to operate, support and upgrade its web to guarantee it could header with flows of discarded including sewage.

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It ruled that Wessex, which is owned by Malaysia-based YTL, could not money the required further concern done institution bills. The wealth was to beryllium spent connected a fig of circumstantial projects.

Ofwat said Wessex was the sixth lawsuit it had completed successful its wider wastewater investigation, which has resulted successful £250m successful fines and enforcement packages.

Almost fractional that sum is astatine the ft of cash-strapped Thames Water, the country's biggest operator, which is presently seeking support for a alteration of ownership to forestall collapse.

Lynn Parker, elder manager for enforcement astatine Ofwat, said: "These cases are a important portion of holding h2o companies to relationship and driving the translation of the h2o assemblage that the nationalist wants to see."

Wessex Water said it regretted the interaction its wastewater show "on customers and the environment".

The institution said the concern bundle "will tackle the occupation directly" and that it was readying to put £300m cardinal successful its sewerage infrastructure by 2030.