Home / Environment / UK Residents Sue Thames Water Over Raw Sewage and Health Threats
UK Residents Sue Thames Water Over Raw Sewage and Health Threats
2 Dec
Summary
- Thames Water failed to upgrade 98 sewage treatment sites as promised.
- Residents face health risks from raw sewage and poorly treated effluent.
- Water regulator denied Thames Water £1.18bn charge for uncompleted upgrades.
Communities in south-east England are launching coordinated legal complaints against Thames Water, alleging that sewage pollution is significantly impacting their lives and health. Despite promises, the company failed to upgrade 98 of its worst-performing treatment plants and pumping stations over the past five years.
Residents are now filing statutory nuisance complaints to local authorities, demanding accountability for discharges of both raw sewage and poorly treated effluent. Data reveals a 240% increase in raw sewage discharges at the Newbury plant between 2019 and 2024. Meanwhile, Thames Water's request to charge customers £1.18bn for these overdue upgrades was largely denied by the regulator, Ofwat.
Several incidents highlight the severity of the issue, including a teenage rower contracting E. coli and multiple children falling ill after playing in the Thames. Citizen testing has also shown dangerously high E. coli levels in treated effluent. Thames Water has previously been fined £104m for environmental breaches, yet concerns remain about its financial stability and the government's inaction.
