Welsh Water has been ordered to pay £44.7 million after serious failures in its sewage network led to excessive spills, regulator Ofwat has announced. The package includes £40.6 million to reduce spills at specific overflows and tackle groundwater entering the sewer network, plus £4.1 million to improve river quality in sensitive catchments.
Ofwat said the company failed to properly operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater network, and lacked adequate oversight by senior management. The watchdog stressed the payment would be funded by the company and not added to customer bills. Lynn Parker, Ofwat's senior director for enforcement, said: 'Our investigation found serious and unacceptable breaches... we expect the company to focus on putting things right.'
Welsh Water acknowledged its service had 'fallen short of the standards that our customers and regulators rightly expect' and said it had begun a major transformation programme. A spokesperson noted early progress in reducing leakage, water quality complaints, and sewer flooding incidents, but added that 'there is much more to do'.
The payout comes as Welsh Water customers face a 4.8% bill increase from April, taking the average annual cost to £683. The enforcement follows similar actions against other suppliers, including a £2 million fine for South West Water over a parasitic outbreak and an ongoing Ofwat probe into South East Water.
