Two new Bills, introduced as Private Members Bills, both with potentially significant impacts for water companies, are due to have their Second readings in Parliament on Friday this week. 

As part of the Pennon Group, SES Water is reporting that it is leading the sector for the fourth year in a row when it comes to its drinking water quality performance.

The water companies in England collectively carried out a total of 3,502,637 drinking water quality tests during 2019 - only 1,509 of the tests failed to meet one or more of the standards set down in the regulations or exceeded a screening value.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) for England and Wales is emphasising that it does not expect the quality of drinking water in England and Wales to be compromised in any way as a result of Brexit.

Thames Water was fined £160,000 at Stratford Magistrates’ Court yesterday and additional costs of £79,839.68 for three separate drinking water offences in a case brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Ofwat has announced funding for the new water Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (water RAPID) team to ensure a smooth regulatory path for strategic water transfers and joint infrastructure projects.

Northumbrian Water Ltd has been fined £499,725 at Peterlee Magistrate’s Court, with costsof £32,792.65 agreed out of court, following charges brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate under the Water Industry Act 1991. 

United Utilities has been fined a total of £200,000 and additional costs of £54,000 at a sentencing hearing in Bolton Crown Court this week.

The Water Industry (Suppliers’ Information) Direction 2017 which came into force on 1 April 2017, has included an obligation for the first time for the water companies to report on cyber attacks.