• Anglian Water Ltd fined £25,000 in case brought by Environment Agency
• Sentence brought after judge ruled that company had no ‘reasonable excuse’ not to comply with EA instructions
• Conviction forms part of EA investigation into non-compliance of all ten water companies

Anglian Water Services Ltd has been ordered to pay over £50,000 for failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement to provide records by the Environment Agency. The order includes a £25,000 fine, £190 victim surcharge and £25,000 in costs.

Sentencing took place on 5th July 2024 at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court after the water company was convicted on 24 May 2024.

This is the first conviction of its kind by the Environment Agency against a water company and sets a precedent for the regulation of non-compliant companies.

Since launching the investigation into Anglian Water Service Ltd’s compliance, the Environment Agency has served several statutory requirements for records on the company. Anglian Water Services Ltd has been convicted of failing, without reasonable excuse, to respond to one of these notices, served between dates in January 2022 and January 2023.

Anglian Water Services Ltd had entered a not guilty plea to the charge, claiming that they had a reasonable excuse for non-compliance. Having heard the evidence in the case, District Judge Kenneth Sheraton rejected the water company’s claim.

The case against Anglian Water Services Ltd arose out of a wider criminal investigation involving all ten English water companies looking into potential non-compliance with environmental permit conditions at over 2,000 wastewater treatment works.

The Environment Agency hopes that today’s sentence will help the regulator to bring all water companies into compliance and reduce environmental pollution.

Further Information

• Anglian Water Services Limited supplies water and wastewater services to more than six million domestic and business customers in the east of England and Hartlepool.
• Anglian Water Services Limited was convicted on one count of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, contrary to Section 110(2)(a) of the Environment Act 1995.
• Anglian Water Services Limited was charged with three matters of failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, contrary to section 110(2)(a) of the Environment Act 1995 between January 2022 and January 2023.

The original charges were:

• Anglian Water Services Limited, between the 31st day of January 2022 and the 16th day of January 2023, without reasonable excuse failed to comply with a requirement issued on 13th day of December 2021 [Exhibit OCB/1] imposed under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, namely a requirement for the provision of records under section 108(4)(k). Contrary to section 110(2) of the Environment Act 1995. This was the charge they were convicted of.
• Anglian Water Services Limited, between the 17th day of June 2022 and the 16th day of January 2023, without reasonable excuse failed to comply with a requirement issued on 30th day of May 2022 [Exhibit OCB/138] imposed under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, namely a requirement for the provision of records under section 108(4)(k). Contrary to section 110(2) of the Environment Act 1995.
• Anglian Water Services Limited, between the 17th day of June 2022 and the 17th day of November 2022, without reasonable excuse failed to comply with a requirement dated 30th day of May 2022 [exhibit OCB/139] (otherwise than the requirement specified in charge no. 2) imposed under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, namely a requirement for the provision of records under section 108(4)(k). Contrary to section 110(2) of the Environment Act 1995.