Severn Trent avoids fine for wastewater failures

Severn Trent Water breached its wastewater obligations but avoided a fine after taking "genuine accountability" to fix the problems, the industry regulator has said.

Ofwat said the utility, which supplies water to more than eight million people across England and Wales, breached those duties by failing to effectively provide drainage and manage the contents of its sewers.

But the watchdog said despite "serious failings", it had not issued a fine because the firm had started proactively dealing with its own network problems before an enforcement case was opened in July 2024.

Severn Trent said it remained focused on delivering further improvements for its customers and the environment.

Ofwat said the firm now had the right processes in place and had invested £98m of shareholder funds into improving its infrastructure.

The investment included additional capacity at 65 wastewater treatment sites and storm tank enhancements, as well as increased storage at storm overflows, and £26m of nature-based solutions in Mansfield, in Nottinghamshire.

This has led to a 41% reduction in spills from each storm overflow in 2025, compared with 2024, despite experiencing heavier rainfall than some other regions.

Lynn Parker, the regulator's senior director for enforcement, said: "Our investigation found serious and unacceptable breaches by Severn Trent Water – that is not in question and the company accepts it.

"But their response to those failures sets a standard we expect from all companies: identifying the problem, proactively investing to fix it and co-operating openly with the regulator."

Parker said the water firm had shown "genuine accountability".

"We will always act where companies fail their customers and the environment," she added.

"But we will also be clear, publicly, when a company does the right thing."

Ofwat has been investigating how wastewater and sewage networks are managed across the industry.

Severn Trent was the eighth case it had completed in its industry-wide wastewater investigation, which has resulted in fines and enforcement packages worth more than £300m, including a £104.5m fine for Thames Water.

But Ofwat said that unlike the previous seven cases, Severn Trent "proactively identified problems in its own network" and "began putting them right" before the enforcement case was opened.

"Ofwat has formally accepted an enforceable package of undertakings from Severn Trent Water to ensure the company returns to compliance," a spokesperson said.

Severn Trent which covers most of the West Midlands including Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, and parts of the East Midlands, including Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, said its work in spills reduction continued.

James Jesic, the company's chief executive, added: "We accept Ofwat's findings relating to issues that we proactively identified and began addressing these before the enforcement case was opened.

"Our investment programme in spills reduction continues across our region at pace with the strength of our whole organisation and supply chain behind it."

Stephanie Cawley, Seven Trent's director of customer operations, said they were "really delighted" by the outcome and the firm had recognised there was a problem early on.

It had previously committed to a £450m investment as part of its spills reduction programme to improve storm overflows and storage capacity across its network.

"I think the important thing is we're doing the right thing for the environment and we've demonstrated with a 40% reduction in the last year in spills, but we've made the first step on that journey," Cawley added.

"We're absolutely not complacent though, we want customers to know we're committed as low as possible and we will continue to do so."

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.