Northumbrian Water agrees to pay £15.7m enforcement package after Ofwat wastewater investigation

Ofwat says that it will be paid by the firm and its shareholders, not customers, and the package is greater than the penalty which would otherwise have been imposed on the company.

It ensures this money will remain in the water sector and be spent on making improvements in the Northumbrian Water area, with the package including a £3.4million investment in installation of Flow to Full Treatment monitors at 19 sites and a £2million donation to Northumbrian Water's ‘Branch Out Fund’, which awards grants of up to £10,000 for local projects to improve the natural environment.

Lynn Parker, senior director for enforcement at Ofwat, said: “Our investigation has found failures in how Northumbrian Water has operated and maintained some of its sewage works and networks, which has resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows.

“We are pleased that Northumbrian Water has agreed this package. We now expect them to move at pace to correct the issues our investigation has identified.”

Concerns have been raised about excessive spills at some sites in Northumberland, including Spittal, although the company’s upcoming projects includes work to reduce such spills in the Berwick area.

Northumbrian Water chief executive officer Heidi Mottram said: “Over the next five years we are investing more than £1billionn to minimise the number of spills from storm overflows and help improve our coasts and rivers.

“We agree with Ofwat’s announcement that the financial settlement will be directed into speeding up our storm overflow reduction plans and in meaningful local initiatives.”