A WATER regulator has said it has “serious concerns” over the sewage treatment works of the North East's main water company. 

Northumbrian Water, Anglian Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and Yorkshire Water submitted reports in December which worried the regulator, it said.

“We have identified shortcomings in most water and wastewater companies and are continuing to investigate,” said Ofwat interim boss David Black.

“But we have already seen enough in five companies to cause serious concern and warrant us taking further action.”

Ofwat said that the information it was sent in December raised one of several concerns for each company.

Either it reported a large number of wastewater treatment works which might not be meeting their environmental rules, raised concerns about how the company meets environmental obligations, or did not show the company’s workings.

“The data that emerged at the end of last year suggested widespread shortcomings in how water companies were running sewage treatment works. The first phase of our investigation suggests those concerns are credible,” added Mr Black.

“We will now dig deeper into what these five companies have been doing, with the prospect of formal enforcement against them if we find they are failing on obligations Ofwat enforces.

“We will have further questions for all companies on this.

“In the meantime, we expect them to make quick progress in addressing any potential non-compliance they might have, whilst strengthening how they manage their environmental obligations as a whole.”

Earlier this year MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee said that England’s rivers had become a “chemical cocktail” of sewage, agricultural waste, and plastics.

Northumbrian Water said it will comply with Ofwat's requests but emphasised thepositive environmental work it does. 

Richard Warneford, Wastewater Director for Northumbrian Water said: “The environment is at the heart of everything we do. In its latest assessment, the Environment Agency awarded our environmental performance four stars, the highest rating possible, and we are proud of this and our industry-leading performance on pollution.

“We recognise the gravity of the investigation, will fully comply with the requests made and take our responsibilities very seriously. We were already working closely with our regulators on how we monitor sewage treatment works and have active programmes of work that we are investing significantly in at present.

“We will continue to liaise closely on our environmental activity with the Environment Agency, Defra and Ofwat as this process continues.”

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