Ofwat has opened an enforcement case into Thames Water to investigate whether the delayed delivery of environmental improvement schemes it committed to has meant that it has breached or will be likely to breach legal obligations Ofwat is responsible for enforcing.

Photo credit: Yelena Odintsova

The Water Industry National Environmental Programme (WINEP) is the programme of actions water companies need to take to meet statutory environmental obligations, non-statutory environmental requirements or delivery against a water company’s statutory functions. Thames Water committed to deliver 812 schemes as part of the WINEP during the period 2020 to 2025. Thames Water has advised Ofwat that more than 100 of these schemes will not be delivered on time.

Ofwat will therefore be investigating whether these matters amount to a failure by Thames Water to comply with its statutory obligation, and whether enforcement action is required.

Covered in The Guardian