England | Ofwat fines water company nearly £123 million following two investigations

June 4, 2025

Ofwat | Ofwat has announced the final decision in two investigations looking into the operations of Thames Water, who will face penalties totalling £122.7 million. These will be paid by the company and its investors, and not by customers.

 

In what it calls its biggest and most complex investigation, Ofwat has been looking into all wastewater companies’ operation, management, and maintenance of their sewage treatment works and sewerage networks.

As part of that investigation, in August 2024, Ofwat consulted on a proposal to impose a £104.5 million penalty on Thames Water, alongside an enforcement order which would require the company to take steps to ensure its compliance. Ofwat has now finalised both the penalty and enforcement order which have been imposed on the company.

Ofwat’s investigation into how the company was managing its treatment works and wider wastewater network uncovered failings that have amounted to a significant breach of the company’s legal obligations, which has caused an unacceptable impact on the environment and customers.

Ofwat has also confirmed its decision to impose a £18.2 million penalty on Thames Water as a result of a separate investigation which found that the company had broken the rules relating to the payment of dividends. This is the first time Ofwat has used its powers to take enforcement action against a water company where their decision to make dividend payments does not properly reflect the company’s delivery performance for customers and the environment.

— Accurate at time of publication | May 2025

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