Anglian Water to return £27m to customers after falling short of targets

Regulator Ofwat has found multiple companies are failing to meeting key targets on reducing pollution, leakages and supply interruptions

Author: Matt SoanesPublished 14th Nov 2023
Last updated 14th Nov 2023

Water companies, including Anglian Water, will be forced to pay out a net total of £70 million to customers after falling short of performance targets, industry regulator Ofwat has confirmed.

The fines for underperforming suppliers will be passed onto customers through lower bills over 2024 and 2025.

Most companies failed to meet key targets on reducing pollution, leakages and supply interruptions, Ofwat found.

Ofwat judges the performance of water companies in England and Wales each year against the "stretching" targets they set in 2019 for a five-year period until 2025.

Anglian Water customers will see more than £27 million taken off their bills.

Northumbrian Water, which controls Essex and Suffolk Water, will have to deduct around £113,000 from bills.

Ofwat said 12 firms will have to return around £193 million to customers, partially offset by five firms charging about £123 million more, resulting in a net total of £70 million being paid out.

The regulator had said in September that firms would return a net total of £114 million, but that amount was provisional until the review process was completed.

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