Crack down on illegal water network connections

A water firm says it has stepped up action against illegal connections to its network, securing 23 convictions in the first five months of 2026.

Thames Water said the offences, involving both companies and individuals, led to nearly £90,000 in fines and included several repeat offenders.

The company said illegal connections can waste millions of litres of water, damage supply quality and reduce funds available for infrastructure improvements.

Cases included developers linking properties without approval and the unauthorised use of standpipes to avoid charges.

Claire Rumens, Thames Water's illegal connections manager, said: "Our efforts to identify and stop illegal connections are crucial to protecting the integrity of our network. This crucial work prevents millions of litres of water from being wasted and helps us meet our statutory duty to safeguard the supply.

"As we ask customers to use water responsibly and deploy teams around the clock to fix leaks, we're equally committed to tackling unlawful use of our system. We will always try to work constructively with individuals and businesses to educate them and reduce the risk of repeat offences."