'More severe consequences' needed for water firms

Tristan Wilkinson wants "potential prison sentences" for those behind sewage spills

A Cotswolds councillor has called for "more severe consequences" for water companies after Thames Water was hit with a £104m fine over historic sewage spills.

Industry regulator Ofwat announced on Tuesday it was fining three water firms - Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water - a combined total of £168m.

Tristan Wilkinson, councillor for Fairford, Lechlade and Kempsford, does not believe the fine will make a difference, as he wants to see "potential prison sentences".

The BBC has contacted Thames Water for comment.

Sewage spills into England's rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year

Meanwhile, campaigner Vaughan Lewis of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution said the fine "hardly seems a fair price to pay" considering the health and environmental risk posed.

In 2023, sewage spills into England's rivers and seas more than doubled.

Ofwat's investigation looked into whether the three companies have been providing customers with the level of service they are entitled to under the law.

It discovered the three companies failed to adequately invest in and maintain their networks, leading to repeated releases of raw sewage into the country’s waterways.

The regulator found that more than two-thirds of Thames Water's - which supplies some of Gloucestershire's water - wastewater treatment works had operational issues.

Mr Wilkinson said the fine is "a further testament the current business model isn't working for residents and bill payers".

"Unfortunately, the reality is that these fines are built into their cost of sale," he said.

"Until the fines become so punitive that they scare investors away or the leadership of these water companies are held personally accountable with potential prison sentences, then I'm afraid that we're just going to be seeing more of this and the potential fixes just become further and further away."

Vaughan Lewis criticised Ofwat and the Environment Agency for taking their "eye off the ball"

Windrush Against Sewage Pollution began as a campaign group for the Cotswold river, but now campaigns for the end of sewage pollution in rivers across the country.

Regarding the fines, Mr Lewis said: "I think what you have to ask is how we've got to this position.

"Where was Ofwat and the Environment Agency in the past? What were they doing? They completely took their eye off the ball and they are now playing catch up.

"£104m hardly seems a fair price to pay for the decimation of many of our local rivers and indeed, the risk to people’s health."

The BBC has contacted Thames Water for comment.