‘They’re regulating themselves’: Water firm reportedly downgrades pollution incidents
A water firm operating in the north-west of England may have wrongly downplayed numerous pollution incidents last year.
United Utilities is reportedly controlling evidence on pollution incidents while the agency is failing to conduct independent checks, according to a recent BBC Panorama investigation.
That allows the firm to report their own incidents as being less significant as they actually are, according to the report.
“If they [United Utilities] say attend – which is incredibly rare – we’ll attend,” one whistleblower at the Environment Agency told the BBC show. “If they say don’t attend, we don’t attend. They’re effectively regulating themselves.”
Reports indicate over 60 instances where incidents were allegedly wrongly downgraded, despite potential environmental impacts.
The Environment Agency, responsible for overseeing such incidents, is said to have approved these downgrades without physically attending any of the sites in question.
These downgrades matter as they affect the company’s performance metrics.
United Utilities have been hailed as the best-performing firm in England according to the Environment Agency’s figures.
But their reported low pollution incidents will earn them a £5.1m reward through customer bill increases next year.
United Utilities has denied the claims.
A spokesperson for the water company said: “Panorama has made a series of allegations about United Utilities, which we strongly reject. Pollution incidents are investigated and action taken where necessary.
“The Environment Agency – not United Utilities – determines both the initial and final categorisation of pollution incidents. This is its role as the regulator.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We assess and record every incident report we receive – between 70,000 and 100,000 a year. We respond to every incident and attend those where there is a significant risk – including every category 1 or 2 incident in the North West since 2016.
“In the last six years we have pursued four successful criminal prosecutions against United Utilities and required the company to pay millions to environmental charities to put right the cause and effects of their offending.
“We are strengthening our regulation by expanding our specialised workforce, increasing compliance checks and using new data and intelligence tools to inform our work. We will also soon have new powers to deliver civil penalties that are quicker and easier to enforce.”
The British broadcaster is currently facing a backlash as it cuts shows in an attempt to save £500m.