Ofwat has ordered Anglian Water to pay £62.8m over failures in managing its wastewater treatment works and network, which led to excessive sewage spills. The regulator found the company, serving 7 million customers in eastern England and Hartlepool, breached its legal obligations by failing to adequately operate, maintain, and upgrade its wastewater assets.
The enforcement package comes amid public anger over raw sewage dumping and executive bonuses. Ofwat's investigation revealed Anglian lacked proper processes and oversight from senior managers and the board to ensure adequate site performance. Lynn Parker, Ofwat's senior director for enforcement, called the breaches 'serious' and 'unacceptable', adding that the company accepted it had 'got things wrong'.
The package includes a £57m investment in excess flow management plans for at least eight catchments, aiming to reduce environmental damage. Anglian must also accelerate planned investments for storm overflow reduction, install storm tanks and screens earlier, and develop a remediation plan to ensure legal compliance. Additionally, a £5.8m community fund will support local projects.
Anglian Water CEO Mark Thurston acknowledged the need to rebuild trust, stating: 'Reducing pollutions and spills is our number one operational focus.' The company plans to accelerate investment in high-risk sites, including trials in Yaxley, as part of an £11bn five-year business plan.
Anglian is among six water companies banned from paying bonuses to top executives for 2024-25 under the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025. Ofwat itself is set to be abolished and replaced by a new regulator as part of government efforts to reform the sector.
