Water sector regulator Ofwat has set out measures that will penalise companies that do not fully monitor their storm overflows.

The Government has rejected a call from the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee to strengthen the Strategic Policy Statement for Ofwat and also declined to introduce a single social tariff.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a new consultation on the Government’s proposal to expand the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover all coastal and estuarine waters.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, Ofwat and the Environment Agency have launched ‘StreamLine’ – a new joint service to improve advice and slash response times for water innovators.

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee will follow up its inquiry on the work of Ofwat, the UK’s water regulator, by taking evidence from representatives of Water UK and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) from 10.30am on Tuesday 13 June.

Ofwat has today called on all water companies to take immediate action across eight areas to release the benefits of open data.

Ofwat is tightening up its guidance on dividend payments – the water sector regulator has told the water companies they should consider withholding or restricting dividends where there are significant service failures to be addressed or there is a risk of regulatory fines, penalties or a need to take remedial actions.

Ofwat has launched a new consultation on its draft decision that there is no need to introduce additional protections in Northumbrian Water’s licence directly as a result of the recent change in ownership which has seen US investor KKR & Co Inc take a 25% stake in the business.

Ofwat's latest cost of living research, published today, reveals not only that many customers are still struggling financially but also that the percentage of customers aware that financial help is available from water companies has hovered around 30% over the last year.