Ofwat has today proposed an £11 million enforcement package following its findings that Wessex Water failed to operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater network adequately to ensure that they could cope with the flows of sewage and wastewater.

Wessex Water and its shareholders will fund a total enforcement package of £11 million, none of which will be paid for by customers or added to bills. The additional investment will be committed by the company and is over and above the investment Wessex Water is required to deliver under the price control and separate from the steps the company will need to take to become compliant.

The package includes:

• Helping private landowners to seal their sewer pipes to prevent unnecessary groundwater reaching Wessex Water's network;
• Reducing spills at specific storm overflows through investment which would have otherwise occurred beyond 2030;
• Installing additional monitoring equipment to better enable management of flows at treatment works and storm overflows;
• Helping customers to sustainably manage rainwater at their properties.

The announcement marks the sixth case in Ofwat’s largest and most complex set of investigations into all companies and their management of their wastewater treatment works and networks. It follows the conclusion of cases against Yorkshire Water, Thames Water, Northumbrian Water, Anglian Water and South West Water earlier this year, which have resulted in enforcement action worth more than £240 million.

Lynn Parker, Senior Director for Enforcement at Ofwat, said:

“Our investigation has found that Wessex Water failed to effectively operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater assets, which meant there were spills from storm overflows when there shouldn't have been. To their credit, the company has been one of the more proactive in investigating and rectifying the problems identified. However, there remain breaches which must be accounted for and corrected.

“We understand that the public wants to see transformative change. That is why we are prioritising this sector-wide investigation which has so far held five wastewater companies to account to the tune of £240m in enforcement redress, benefitting the local environment and the customers those companies serve.”

Wessex Water has invested more than £150 million since 2020 on upgrading storm overflows in its region. It already has plans in place for 2025-30 to address many of the compliance issues identified at its wastewater treatment works and network. However, there remains further measures that the company needs to take to ensure that it is fully compliant and which Ofwat will continue to closely monitor.

A consultation will now be open to the public and key stakeholders to offer any final comments before Ofwat’s final decision is made.

Click here to access the online consultation https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consultations/