Anglian Water's Water Woes: Breaking Down the Scandal
Water supplier Anglian Water faces significant financial penalty of £1.42 million due to reported shortcomings in drinkable water services.
It's a raucous round of fines for Anglian Water, now hit with a staggering £1.4m penalty for negligence causing drinking water disasters impacting a whopping 1.3 million people.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) cracked the whip, slapping the company for employing unapproved plastic-based products on pipework dunked in water storage tanks at four different locations. The pipes were thrown in between 2016 and 2019, and were only removed in 2021.
Anglian Water's service area spans across Eastern England, from the Humber to the Thames Estuary.
Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, weighed in with his opinion, branding the contamination of drinking water a disgusting and ridiculously shameful affair. Reed went on to say that the hefty fine slapped onto Anglian Water serves as a clear message that such criminal behavior is unacceptable.
DWI's probe uncovered a slew of issues, including insufficient employee training, a feeble grasp on the supply chain, and on some occasions, the continued use of water tanks even when the company was aware they housed unauthorized goods.
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The DWI asserts that the plastic coatings in the drinking water tanks disintegrated into flakes and powder, seeping into the water supply.
Anglian Water appeared to contradict this, stating "although the breach took place, there was no evidence of any contamination in the water supply, and the judge concurred based on independent expert reports, confirming the extremely low risk for customers."
In April, Anglian Water hiked its prices, jacking up the average bill from £527 to £626 a year—a bump of £99, as reported by Water UK.
Details on the Disaster
Extent of Unapproved Products
- Unauthorized Products: Anglian Water opted for unapproved plastic-based substances to coat their pipework, submerged in four drinking water storage tanks.
- Lifespan of Issue: The pipes were installed from 2016 through 2019 and were only phased out in 2021.
- Contamination Facts: The DWI reports that the coatings disintegrated into flakes and powder, contaminating the water supply. However, Anglian Water refutes this claim, stating that there was no evidence of drinking water contamination based on independent expert reports.
Staff Training
- Training Inadequacies: The DWI pinpointed inadequate staff training as a contributing factor to the debacle.
- Step to Progress: The company has since taken measures to rectify the lapses by investing substantially to upgrade their procedures and sharing their experience across the water industry.
Supply Chain Oversight
- Lack of Oversight: The DWI identified a lack of oversight as a major contributor to the unauthorized use of materials in the water supply infrastructure.
Ongoing Issues and Resolution
- Elimination of Problems: The DWI claimed that all issues have been resolved, but Anglian Water has not disclosed specifics regarding this matter.
- Penalties and Admission: Anglian Water accepted responsibility, acknowledging the breach and the resulting fine. The company announced their learnings from the incident and pledged to apply these lessons within the water industry.
Science should investigate the impact of the unauthorized plastic-based substances used by Anglian Water on the environmental-science of water supplies, considering the disintegration of these coatings into flakes and powder.
Finance might explore potential consequences in the industry due to the significant £1.4m fine imposed on Anglian Water, as a clear message against negligence in the finance department of companies responsible for essential services like water supply.
