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.

The Environment Agency has today confirmed it will seek to recover the full annual costs of its enforcement activities through the proposed water industry enforcement levy it first sought views on via public consultation in April 2025.

Ofwat has today announced a £62.8 million enforcement package following its finding that Anglian Water has breached its legal obligations in operating its wastewater treatment works and network.

Ofwat has today proposed a £24 million enforcement package following its findings that South West Water has failed to meet it legal obligations in managing its wastewater treatment works and network. These failures resulted in the company spilling wastewater to the environment when it should not have done.

Ofwat has concluded its investigation into Northumbrian Water securing an enforcement package of £15.7 million to be paid by the wastewater company and their shareholders, not customers.

The Environment Agency has today launched a new consultation on recovering costs for enforcement in full from water companies - following the introduction of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, the Agency is now able to recover additional costs associated with regulating the water industry.

Ofwat is seeking views on guidance it has issued setting out its approach to enforcement aimed at providing clarity to water companies, customers and other stakeholders - the ultimate sanction is High Court special administration order where the court is satisfied that the company's breach is serious enough to make it inappropriate for the company to continue to hold its appointment or it is or is likely to be unable to pay its debts.

The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 received Royal Assent yesterday, boosting the powers of water sector regulators to tackle pollution. The major legislation to crack down on water company executives polluting Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas has been signed into law in the most significant increase to enforcement powers in a decade.

Ofwat has today announced that it is opening an enforcement case into Thames Water to investigate whether its delayed delivery of environmental improvement schemes has meant that the company has breached its obligations.

Severn Trent and United Utilities have both issued formal responses to Ofwat’s announcement yesterday of the launch of enforcement cases against four more companies in its ongoing wastewater treatment investigation.