WATER regulators have launched an investigation into Thames Water to determine whether the water company has breached environmental obligations.
It comes after Thames Water committed to deliver more than 800 environmental improvement plans as part of the Water Industry National Environmental Programme (WINEP).
However the delivery of plans, originally set to be concluded between 2020 and 2025, was delayed.
Thames Water notified Ofwat that it would be unlikely to deliver more than 100 of the 8012 schemes put in place by the end of March.
Regulators say that completion of these schemes on time is “essential” for companies to ensure that they are compliant with statutory requirements.
While the investigation has been launched regulators were keen to emphasise that it does not “automatically imply” that there has been a breach of obligations.
Lynn Parker, Senior Director for Enforcement at Ofwat, said: “Customers have paid for Thames Water to carry out these essential environmental schemes.
“We take any indication that water companies are not meeting their legal obligations very seriously.
“Therefore, we have launched an investigation to understand whether the delayed delivery of environmental schemes means that Thames Water has breached its obligations.
“If we find reason to act, we will use our full range of powers to hold Thames to account for any failures and will require them to put things right.”
