13 Aug 2024
A Conservative minister repeatedly tried to stop England’s environment regulator from publishing data showing a sharp rise in recorded sewage spills into waterways, according to emails obtained by Unearthed. The Environment Agency (EA) is obliged by law to publish annual statistics on how often overflow pipes released sewage into rivers and seas, and how long the […]
13 Aug 2024
United Utilities has repurposed tanks at its Ambleside and Windermere wastewater treatment works to create an additional 2.6 million litres of storage across the two sites. As a result of upgrades at both sites, the tanks were redundant and able to be repurposed into storm tanks after the installation of some new equipment. The additional […]
07 Aug 2024
Ofwat has proposed that three water companies will be fined a total of £168m for failing to manage their wastewater treatment works and networks, as part of the first batch of outcomes from its biggest ever investigation. The penalties proposed for consultation will see Thames Water fined £104m, Yorkshire Water fined £47m and Northumbrian Water […]
31 Jul 2024
An investigation by i suggests that over 5,500 sewage spills in England last year may have been illegal as they took place without permission from the Environment Agency (EA), including at spots along iconic rivers like the Wye and Avon. Water companies released untreated waste into waterways 464,056 times in 2023, official statistics show. These […]
17 Jul 2024
All 11 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales are now under scrutiny over sewage spills, after the regulator said it was expanding its investigation. This week, Ofwat opened enforcement cases into four more firms – Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent and United Utilities – as part of its probe into […]
17 Jul 2024
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has written to water companies urging them to ‘be open’ about sewage spills and calling on companies to be as transparent as possible with customers about waste discharges into rivers. The ICO is a non-departmental public body which reports directly to Parliament and is sponsored by the Department for Science, […]
10 Jul 2024
The Environment Agency is exploring the feasibility of using cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning technology to digitise, read and interpret 10,000 years’ worth of hydrological data on river levels and flows. The risk of flooding and drought within England is a priority area of focus for the Environment Agency (EA) which strives to protect […]
03 Jul 2024
More legal problems for the government, regulators and the water industry this week, including The Supreme Court ruling against United Utilities in appeal case on sewage discharges brought by Manchester Ship Canal Company. According to The Guardian, the ruling paves the way for businesses and public to sue water firms over sewage. The story is […]
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