Water sector springs a leak

28th Oct 2010 15:11

Regulator Ofwat has warned the UK's water industry that a quarter of firms are not doing enough to stem leaks and are missing their regulatory target.Six out of the UK's 21 struggled firms did not respond adequately to the damage causd by the freezing start the the year, Ofwat said, especially the large number of burst pipes."Most companies stepped up to the challenge of tackling leakage during a particularly harsh winter," said Regina Finn, chief executive of Ofwat. "Those who haven't, we have put on notice. If companies continue to underperform, we will take action."In total 3.28bn litres of water were lost through leaking pipes every single day last year, the equivalent of 14m baths of water.Companies singled out for criticism included Kelda, which owns Yorkshire Water, which had the worst record on leaks losing on average 295m litres a day and which is under investigation for its leakage reporting. Veolia Water Central and the FTSE 250 member Northumbrian Water also came in for special criticism, though overall the regulator said that the water companies were doing a good job. The companies had delivered "safe, reliable supplies" and complaints had fallen to their lowest level for four years, Ofwat added.