Thames Water Named as Repeat Pollution Offender

4.31.52pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 28th Jul 2003

Thames Water, the main local water company, has been fined for illegal pollution by the government regulator (the Environment Agency) for the fifth successive year and its fines (£135,000) are amongst the biggest of any company in the country.

Vincent Cable, MP, said: "Taking the last five years as a whole, Thames Water has the worst pollution record of any company in Britain even though another two water companies, United Utilities and Auphia, achieved that dubious distinction for 2002 alone".

"Residents who have dealt with Thames Water over Mogden works will not be surprised by its poor record. Indeed, if the company was fined for odour emissions its record would be far worse even than it is".

"What is particularly worrying about Thames Water is that it gets fined repeatedly without apparently changing its behaviour. One of the lessons surely is that the fines are far too small to have an impact"