Thames Water is among six water companies to have blocked bonus payouts to bosses over serious pollution incidents and other performance issues. More than £4 million of potential bonuses were banned under new rules on performance-related executive pay, regulator Ofwat said. The powers were introduced in June as a result of concerns that the pay of […]
Author: waterynews
Lough Neagh algae blight is significant crisis for all Ireland, says McDonald
Lough Neagh is a “very significant crisis” for the whole island of Ireland, Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald has said. The lough, which is the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, was this year blighted by noxious blooms of blue-green algae for the third summer in a row. It saw the eel-fishing […]
Pollution enforcement action secures £150,000 for River Alyn restoration
Two construction companies have agreed to pay a total of £150,000 after repeated pollution incidents into Singrett Brook, a tributary of the River Alyn in Wrexham. Bellway Homes Ltd and Anwyl Construction Ltd, responsible for the Maes y Rhedyn and Fern Meadow/Dol Rhedyn housing developments, caused several silt pollution incidents between 2022 and 2024 due […]
Public urged to use water wisely as drought set to continue into 2026
The national drought group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies, and other organisations, convened on Thursday as autumn rainfall remains insufficient to offset the dry conditions of spring and summer. Drought conditions are now expected to continue through to next year unless there is significantly more rain in the coming months, the […]
HMRC orders NRW to pay £14.6m after tax compliance failures
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will pay £14.6 million to HMRC after the tax authority found the public body had incorrectly assessed the employment status of contractors under the government’s IR35 rules. The settlement follows a long-running HMRC investigation into NRW’s use of off-payroll workers over several years. The case centred on whether individuals hired for […]
Group fined £71,000 over huge waste piles in Suffolk
Companies dumped thousands of tonnes of waste in countryside as water board ‘turned blind eye’ “Completely off the scale” is how the Environment Agency describes two years of mismanagement of waste from housing developments across Suffolk. A judge today called it negligent. Some five organisations have been fined £70,666 for the huge amount of unpermitted […]
Gloucestershire farmer to pay over £7,000 for slurry pollution
A Gloucestershire farmer has been ordered to pay £7,048 for illegally discharging slurry into a river due to a leaking pipe. The case brought by the Environment Agency was heard at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on Monday 29 September 2025. Timothy Juckes, age 48, of Tredington House Farm, Tredington, near Tewkesbury, pleaded guilty to illegally discharging […]
60% rise in serious water contamination raises food chain concerns
New data from the Environment Agency shows further surges in pollution events, potentially impacting crops and livestock. The official statistics show a 29% increase in incidents leading to pollutants entering Britain’s water system in 2024, or 2,801 individual events. Meanwhile, incidents defined as ‘serious’ rose by 60%. More significant cases of water contamination are particularly […]
Villagers face potential purchase of homes at risk of flooding
Anthony Lewis Local Democracy Reporter Talks will be held with some residents of a Welsh village over the potential purchase of their homes which are at risk of river flooding. A delegated officer decision means discussions will begin with residents of 1-16 Clydach Terrace, Ynysybwl on agreeing a financial figure for the proposed acquisition of the […]
Welsh Water fine cut from £1.35m to £120,000 after appeal
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has had a £1.35million fine reduced to £120,000 after winning an appeal at Caernarfon Crown Court. The not-for-profit company, based in Nelson, was fined in May for failing to properly monitor water quality at around 300 treatment sites. It had admitted 15 charges covering more than 800 offences committed during 2020 […]