Anglian Water fined £1.42m for drinking water failures

A water company has had to splash out a record amount in fines after being found guilty for drinking water failures affecting millions.

Anglian Water, which supplies more than 4.7million people including some in Norfolk and Suffolk, were ordered to pay £1.42 million at a Northampton Crown Court hearing following a Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).

Between June and December 2021, the company reported to the Inspectorate that they had used unapproved materials at four separate sites across its network.

The affected pipes had been installed into drinking water tanks between 2016 and 2019.

They remained in supply until 2021.

The DWI’s investigation found the company had repeatedly used unapproved plastic-based products to externally coat pipework submerged within their drinking water tanks.

These coatings later broke down into flakes and powder which entered the water supply.

Anglian Water pleaded guilty to five offences under regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016.

Marcus Rink, chief inspector of the DWI, said: “Public health and drinking water quality is the highest priority, there can be no compromise.

“We have taken firm action in the public interest to ensure the company has removed all non-compliant material so that customers can remain confident in their water supplies.”

The investigation also uncovered wider issues around Anglian Water’s management of its materials and contractors. It found a lack of staff training, poor oversight of the supply chain and, in some cases, water tanks continued to be used even after the company knew they contained unapproved products.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Contamination of drinking water on any scale is scandalous and a complete disgrace.

“The record fine handed down sends a clear signal that this criminal behaviour is unacceptable.”

The issues identified across Anglian Water’s network have now been rectified.