Two major UK water firms are facing penalties exceeding £86 million for failures linked to wastewater spills, the water regulator Ofwat has announced.
A director at Ofwat described the failures by Anglian Water and South West Water to maintain storm overflows and their sewage networks as "unacceptable".
Ofwat confirmed that Anglian Water and its shareholders will be required to pay £62.8 million, earmarked to benefit the environment and its customers.
The watchdog said its investigation found the water firm failed to run, maintain and upgrade its wastewater operations adequately to ensure they could cope with the flows of sewage and wastewater coming to them.
It also confirmed that fellow operator South West Water and its shareholders will need to pay out £24 million.
Ofwat said it found a “range of failures” in how the water company managed its wastewater treatment works and sewer network.
In July, the water regulator originally announced in draft decisions that it would require the enforcement packages from the two suppliers.
Both companies failed to have adequate processes and oversight by their senior management and board to ensure its assets were performing adequately and meeting legal requirements, Ofwat said.
Lynn Parker, senior director for enforcement at Ofwat, said: “Our investigations found failures in how Anglian Water and South West Water have operated and maintained their sewage works and networks, which has resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows.
“These are serious breaches and are unacceptable.
“We understand that the public wants to see transformative change.
“That is why we are prioritising this sector-wide investigation which is holding wastewater companies to account for identified failures.
“We are pleased both companies have accepted that they got things wrong and are now focusing on putting that right, and taking action to come back into compliance.”
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