Prosecution and Caution Record
Cautions issued over last 5 years
(Full record of cautions from 1995 to present day)
Date of Event | Caution Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
27 October 2022 | 3 December 2024 | South Staffs Water accepted a caution following investigations into odour failures downstream of Hampton Loade works in 2022. The investigation showed that water supplied from the works had not been continuously dosed with powdered activated carbon when the concentrations of geosmin exceeded 4 ng/l. This contravened an enforcement notice to prevent such failings from leading to objectionable odours in supplies to consumers as had previously occurred in May 2020, for which the company had previously received a Warning Letter. |
29 March to 23 May 2023 | 30 May 2024 | United Utilities accepted a caution following an event where green discoloured water was supplied to consumers in Wallasey, Merseyside for approximately 50 days. The company have subsequently updated their policy and procedures to prevent a recurrence. |
30 July 2021 | 9 January 2023 | Southern Water was issued with a caution following the supply of water to consumers which was unfit for human consumption. The company subsequently introduced changes to their policy, procedures and training to prevent a recurrence. |
28 January 2021 | 6 January 2023 | Thames Water accepted a caution following an event where discoloured water was supplied to 135,045 consumers in Tooting and Merton, South London, following planned work on the water network. |
6 November 2018 | 21 December 2020 | Severn Trent Water accepted a caution following an event where discoloured water with an unacceptable taste and odour was supplied to 13,150 consumers in Leicester, after a rehabilitated trunk main was returned to supply. |
27 March 2020 | 15 December 2020 | SES Water accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where water unfit for human consumption was supplied to a single property in Sutton, following the mis-connection of the consumers service pipe to a disused gas main |
6 March 2019 and 11 July 2019 | 5 June 2020 | South Staffs Water accepted a caution following a technical audit of Crumpwood water treatment works, which identified that the membrane filtration system in use was not being operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. |
11 December 2016 | 16 August 2018 | United Utilities accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where inadequately disinfected water was supplied from Buckton Castle treatment works to 43,000 consumers in and around Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge. Consumers were advised to boil their tap water before consumption for two and a half days. |
12 October 2016 | 13 April 2018 | South Staffs Water accepted a caution following the investigation of an event where discoloured water was supplied to 71,000 consumers in and around Walsall, West Midlands following planned work at Seedy Mill treatment works. |
Prosecutions (court cases over last 5 years)
(* Full record of Prosecutions from 1995 to present day)
Date of Event | Date of court case | Company | Court | Event | Offence | Outcome | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2021 | 30 May 2023 | Wessex Water Services Limited | Swindon Magistrates’ Court | Newton Tony Taste and Odour | Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for the supply of water unfit for human consumption | £280,000 and a victim surcharge of £190 | £21,656.60 |
June 2018 | 13 Sep 2022 | South West Water Ltd | Plymouth Magistrates’ Court | Bratton Fleming and Horedown Taste and Odour | Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for the supply of water unfit for human consumption | £233,333 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £83,967.93 |
1 April – 31 May 2018 | Guilty plea 5 April 2022 Sentencing 24 May 2022 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Hove Crown Court | High Park Chlorate | Regulation 33(3)(a) – applying or introducing a substance or product into water in contravention of regulation 31(1) | £16,000 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £49,401.95 |
16 Feb 2017 and 10 July 2017 | 10 June 2019 | Thames Water Utilities Ltd | Stratford Magistrates’ Court | Coppermills Water treatment works | Regulation 33(1) – breach of regulation 26(1)(a) failure to disinfect water and breach of regulation 26(4) failure to design and continuously operate an adequate treatment process Regulation 33(1) – breach of regulation 26(1)(b) failure to subject water to sufficient preliminary treatment to prepare it for disinfection before treatment | £80,000 £80,000 | £79,839.68 and a victim’s surcharge of £120 |
17 Dec 2016 | 10 Jan 2019 | Northumbrian Water Ltd | Peterlee Magistrates’ Court | South Moor service reservoir Taste and Odour | Section 70 supply of water unfit, and not following Instructions for Use – regulation 33(3)(b) | £499,725 and a victim surcharge of £170 | £32,792.65 |
31 Jan – 12 Feb 2013 | Guilty plea 27 July 2018 Sentencing 10 August 2018 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Newport Crown Court | Cooks Castle Shanklin water supply reservoir | Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured and highly turbid) for human consumption | £65,000 | £44,620.99 |
March – July 2015 | Guilty plea 31 Jan 2018 Sentencing 5 June 2018 | United Utilities Water Plc | Bolton Crown Court | Sweetloves works | Regulation 33 – breach of regulation 26(1) inadequate treatment and disinfection of water for two events from 31 March – 3 April 2015 and 19 July – 22 July 2015 | £50,000 for first event £150,000 for second event | £54,000 |
Aug – Sept 2015 | Guilty plea 19 July 17 Sentencing 10 Oct 17 | United Utilities Water Plc | Preston Crown Court | Franklaw works – detection of Cryptosporidium | Section 70 supply of water unfit for human consumption | £300,000 | £150,000 |
Oct 2015 | Guilty plea 14 August 17 Sentencing 25 August 17 | Southern Water Services Ltd | Southampton Magistrates’ Court | Discolouration due to burst main | Section 70 supply of water unfit for human consumption and use of non-approved products (reg 33) | £400,000 for section 70 offence and £80,000 for reg 33 offence | £50,000 |