Ofwat has today confirmed its final decisions in its wastewater investigations against Anglian Water and South West Water - a total of £86.8 million will be paid by the companies as enforcement packages.

Uisce Éireann has welcomed the latest Drinking Water Report published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which confirms that Ireland’s public drinking water supplies continue to meet exceptionally high standards, with over 99.8% compliance with microbiological and chemical standards.

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

The Environment Agency is surging water company inspections in the South West – EA inspection teams are continuing to grow, focused on checks, enforcement, and regulation.

Anglian Water Services Ltd has been ordered to pay over £50,000 for failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement to provide records by the Environment Agency. The order includes a £25,000 fine, £190 victim surcharge and £25,000 in costs.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that water company inspections will more than quadruple as the Government cracks down on poor performing companies.

The Government has today confirmed that money from fines handed out to water companies for polluting rivers and seas will be re-invested in schemes that benefit the natural environment.

In the context of ongoing criticism from regulators, NGOs, Parliamentary Committees and the public of the water companies’ unsatisfactory environmental performance, HUBER Technology talks about the key role sewage screens play in mitigating the impacts of unauthorised sewage discharges into rivers, lakes and the sea.

Yorkshire Water has agreed to donate a total of £400,000 to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust after polluting two watercourses in separate incidents, following investigations by the Environment Agency.

The Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, Chairman of the House of Commons  Environmental Audit Committee, has called unpermitted sewage discharges by the water companies “disgusting practices’ which cannot continue.