Northumbrian Water has insisted it takes its environmental responsibilities seriously after industry watchdog Ofwat highlighted “serious concerns” over five firm’s sewage treatment works, including the North East water supplier.
The water regulator has said it has concerns over the treatment works of Northumbrian Water and four other suppliers around the UK – Anglian Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and Yorkshire Water.
The five companies had submitted reports in December which worried the regulator, which it said warrants further action including potential formal enforcement.
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Ofwat said that the information it was sent raised one of several concerns for each company
Either it reported a large number of wastewater treatment works which might not be meeting their environmental rules, raised concerns about how the company meets environmental obligations, or did not show the company’s workings.
Northumbrian Water said it is already working with its regulators, and that it recognises the gravity of the investigation.
Ofwat interim boss David Black said: “The data that emerged at the end of last year suggested widespread shortcomings in how water companies were running sewage treatment works.
“The first phase of our investigation suggests those concerns are credible.
“We have identified shortcomings in most water and wastewater companies and are continuing to investigate.
“But we have already seen enough in five companies to cause serious concern and warrant us taking further action.
“We will now dig deeper into what these five companies have been doing, with the prospect of formal enforcement against them if we find they are failing on obligations Ofwat enforces.
“We will have further questions for all companies on this.
“In the meantime, we expect them to make quick progress in addressing any potential non-compliance they might have, whilst strengthening how they manage their environmental obligations as a whole.”
Richard Warneford, wastewater director for Northumbrian Water said: “The environment is at the heart of everything we do. In its latest assessment, the Environment Agency awarded our environmental performance Four Stars, the highest rating possible, and we are proud of this and our industry-leading performance on pollution.
“We recognise the gravity of the investigation, will fully comply with the requests made and take our responsibilities very seriously.
“We were already working closely with our regulators on how we monitor sewage treatment works and have active programmes of work that we are investing significantly in at present.
“We will continue to liaise closely on our environmental activity with the Environment Agency, Defra and Ofwat as this process continues.”
Earlier this year MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee said that England’s rivers had become a “chemical cocktail” of sewage, agricultural waste, and plastics.
Southern Water was handed a record £90m fine for 6,791 unpermitted sewage discharges last summer.
Ofwat said that it was keeping an eye on Southern Water’s compliance package.
Only one water company - Hafren Dyfrdwy - did not report any treatment works that potentially did not meet a specific set of rules in the environmental permits.
Northumbrian Water Limited supplies 2.7 million customers in the North East with both water and sewerage services, trading as Northumbrian Water.
In 2021, the company was named the world's most ethical water company for the tenth time and was identified as the 25 th Top UK Workplace (Super Large) by the Great Places to Work Institute and awarded Centre of Excellence in Wellbeing status.
