Severn Trent to be probed by regulator on sewage disposal

Ofwat has launched an investigation into Severn Trent over concerns about how it’s managing its sewage disposal.

The regulator has opened enforcement cases into four water companies today (July 16) including Severn Trent, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy and United Utilities.

Analysis into the companies’ environmental performance and how often they spill wastewater from storm overflows “heightened Ofwat’s concerns” that the four utilities “may not be fulfilling environmental protection and pollution-minimising obligations”.

Opening these four new cases means that Ofwat now has enforcement activities underway against all 11 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales.

Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water, and Yorkshire Water have been under investigation since 2022. Southern Water is still being monitored by Ofwat following an enforcement case in 2019.

Severn Trent was ordered to pay a fine of more than £2m in February, for allowing huge amounts of raw sewage to discharge into the River Trent.

470 million litres of raw sewage was discharged from the Strongford wastewater treatment works near Stoke-on-Trent between November 2019 and February 2020 – 260 million litres of this sewage was discharged illegally.

Ofwat Chief Executive David Black said: “The fact that Ofwat now has enforcement cases with all 11 of the wastewater companies in England and Wales demonstrates how concerned we are about the sector’s environmental performance.

“This is the largest and most complex investigation Ofwat has undertaken”.

Severn Trent responded and said it’s “committed to going further and faster than anyone else in the sector on tackling the issue of CSO spills.

“We will work constructively with Ofwat on this matter and are confident in reaching a resolution as quickly as possible”.

Plans were announced in May to invest £450m at 900 Midlands locations to reduce spills by 20% a year, as part of a £12.9bn programme, set to create 7,000 jobs across the region.

In its press release this morning, Ofwat said: “Severn Trent has recently announced an ambitious programme to significantly reduce use of storm overflow which Ofwat welcomes. The investigation will consider both current and past performance and reflect on the steps companies are now taking in deciding if and what action is needed”.

Following a meeting between the new government and the water industry, new environment secretary, Steve Reed, said: “We will never look the other way while water companies pump sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

“This unacceptable destruction of our waterways should never have been allowed, but change has now begun so it can never happen again.

“Today I have announced significant steps to clean up the water industry to cut sewage pollution, protect customers and attract investment to upgrade its crumbling infrastructure.

“That change will take time. Over the coming weeks and months, this Government will outline further steps to reform the water sector and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.”