Anglian Water Services Ltd has been found guilty of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement from the Environment Agency to provide records.

The water company was convicted with the case adjourned to 5 July 2024 for a sentencing hearing to take place at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court.

The case was brought by the Environment Agency against Anglian Water Services Ltd, which arose out of a wider criminal investigation involving all ten water companies into potential non-compliance with environmental permit conditions at over 2,000 wastewater treatment works.

The Environment Agency said it has served several statutory requirements for records on the company since launching the investigation.

Anglian Water was found not guilty on two counts of failing to provide data to the Environment Agency.

The judge commented that the Environment Agency had acted unreasonably in failing to respond to correspondence from Anglian Water in which it set out its proposed methodology.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said:

“We’re pleased the judge has said our course of action and time taken to respond with surrogate data to the Environment Agency was reasonable. These were the two most serious allegations for obstruction.

“On the third count, we have received the judge’s draft sentencing remarks and will now take the opportunity to review the basis of sentence.”

However, Anglian Water Services Ltd was convicted of failing, without reasonable excuse, to respond to one of these notices, served under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, contrary to Section 110(2)(a) of the Environment Act 1995 between dates in January 2022 and January 2023.

The water company had entered a not guilty plea to the charge, claiming that they had a reasonable excuse for non-compliance. However, having heard the evidence in the case, District Judge Kenneth Sheraton rejected the claim.

Anglian Water was convicted on one count of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, contrary to Section 110(2)(a) of the Environment Act 1995.

Sentencing in the case is due to take place in July 2024.