Thames fined £160,000 with £79,800 costs for three drinking water offences

Thames Water has been fined £160,000 for drinking water offences at its Coppermills treatment works in East London.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) which brought the case against Thames said it related to three offences arising from two events in February and July 2017. Thames was fined at Stratford Magistrates’ Court and ordered to pay almost £79,840.

The Inspectorate said the events “did not result in impact or harm to any consumers “ but on both occasions there was “loss of control of key treatment processes.” It added: “Recommendations on training, procedures, maintenance must be acted upon to reduce current and future risks.”

Thames last week had a large pipe burst at its Hampton Treatment Works which serves a large area in the west of the capital. It is understood some 100,000 properties were left with low or no water pressure. during the incident.