#watercompany — Public Fediverse posts

BBC uncovers 6,000 possible illegal #sewage spills in one year

"BBC analysis suggests dry spills may have started on more than 200 days in 2022, lasting more than 29,000 hours – including during the record summer heatwave when people were cooling off in England’s rivers and seas."

By Esme Stallard, Jonah Fisher and Sophie Woodcock, BBC News Climate and Science • Becky Dale and Libby Rogers, BBC News Data Journalism Team

June 13, 2024

"Every major English #WaterCompany has reported data suggesting they’ve discharged #RawSewage when the weather is dry – a practice which is potentially illegal.

"BBC News has analysed spills data from nine firms, which suggests sewage may have been discharged nearly 6,000 times when it had not been raining in 2022 - including during the country’s record #heatwave.

"Water companies can release untreated sewage into rivers and seas when it rains to prevent it #flooding homes, but such spills are illegal when it’s dry.

"The firms say they understand public concerns around dry spilling, but they disagree with the BBC’s findings.

"They have said the spill data shared with the Environment Agency was 'preliminary' and 'unverified', and also disagree with how the BBC defined a dry spill, which they say differs from the Environment Agency’s approach.

"The latest findings follow a BBC investigation conducted last year which found 388 instances of possible dry spilling in 2022 by three water companies - Thames, Wessex and Southern - after they shared their data with the BBC.

"The other six – Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, Severn Trent, South West Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water - had refused to share data about when they might be spilling with the BBC. They said it could prejudice an ongoing criminal investigation by the #EnvironmentAgency (EA) and #Ofwat into their activities."

Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nn46rjej6o

#WaterIsLife #England #UK #Pollution #PowerCorruptionAndLies

Only three #WaterCompany prosecutions in #England and #Wales for unfit #DrinkingSupply

Figures show breaches have rarely led to prosecution by #DrinkingWaterInspectorate since 2021
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/04/regulator-prosecutions-unsafe-drinking-water-england-wales
#ToryPoliciesInAction #Privatisation #ProfitBeforePeople #GE2024

#ThamesWater collapse could trigger Truss-style borrowing crisis, Whitehall officials fear

Officials in the #Treasury and the UK’s #DebtManagementOffice fear that, unless the #UK’s biggest #WaterCompany is #renationalised as soon as possible, “prolonged uncertainty” about its fate could “damage confidence in UK plc at a sensitive time”, with elections in the UK and the US later this year.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/28/thames-water-collapse-borrowing-whitehall-uk-finances-bonds-liz-truss
#ToryPoliciesInAction #ThatchersLegacy

#ThamesWater #nationalisation plan could move bulk of £15bn debt to state

Exclusive: Under Whitehall blueprint for #WaterCompany some lenders could lose up to 40% of their mone

#ProjectTimber
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/18/whitehall-blueprint-for-thames-water-nationalisation-could-see-state-take-on-bulk-of-15bn-debt
#ToryPoliciesInAction #PrivateProfitPublicCost

#ThamesWater has six weeks to agree survival plan with #Ofwat -

Thames’s operating company, which is ringfenced by the regulator so it can continue even if #Kemble collapses, is labouring under debts of almost £15bn, making it #Britain’s most indebted #WaterCompany. It was #privatised in 1989 with no debt.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/14/thames-water-six-weeks-to-agree-survival-plan-with-regulator
#ToryPoliciesInaction #ShareholdersBeforeCustomers
#Monopoly #NationaliseWithiutCompensation

#ThamesWater has six weeks to agree survival plan with #Ofwat -

Thames’s operating company, which is ringfenced by the regulator so it can continue even if #Kemble collapses, is labouring under debts of almost £15bn, making it #Britain’s most indebted #WaterCompany. It was #privatised in 1989 with no debt.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/14/thames-water-six-weeks-to-agree-survival-plan-with-regulator
#ToryPoliciesInaction #ShareholdersBeforeCustomers
#Monopoly #NationaliseWithiutCompensation

#ThamesWater has six weeks to agree survival plan with #Ofwat -

Thames’s operating company, which is ringfenced by the regulator so it can continue even if #Kemble collapses, is labouring under debts of almost £15bn, making it #Britain’s most indebted #WaterCompany. It was #privatised in 1989 with no debt.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/14/thames-water-six-weeks-to-agree-survival-plan-with-regulator
#ToryPoliciesInaction #ShareholdersBeforeCustomers
#Monopoly #NationaliseWithiutCompensation

#ThamesWater has six weeks to agree survival plan with #Ofwat -

Thames’s operating company, which is ringfenced by the regulator so it can continue even if #Kemble collapses, is labouring under debts of almost £15bn, making it #Britain’s most indebted #WaterCompany. It was #privatised in 1989 with no debt.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/apr/14/thames-water-six-weeks-to-agree-survival-plan-with-regulator
#ToryPoliciesInaction #ShareholdersBeforeCustomers
#Monopoly #NationaliseWithiutCompensation

Fresh crisis for #ThamesWater as investors pull plug on £500m of funding

Decision raises concerns about financial future of UK’s biggest #WaterCompany
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/28/fresh-crisis-for-thames-water-as-investors-pull-plug-on-500m-of-funding
#ToryPoliciesInAction #Privatisation #Pollution #Sewage #PrivateProfitPublicCost
#NationalisationWithoutCompensation