The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has pursued only three prosecutions for supplying unfit drinking water since 2021, despite numerous reported breaches.
Helena Horton reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- The DWI received reports of 362 instances of unsafe water since 2021 but only three resulted in prosecutions.
- Southern Water, South West Water, and Wessex Water faced fines for providing water that was unsafe for human consumption.
- The Liberal Democrats propose new regulations, including “blue flag” rivers and replacing Ofwat with a more powerful regulator.
Key quote:
"It is a national scandal that drinking water is being contaminated by profiteering firms [that] show complete disregard for public health and the environment."
— Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson
Why this matters:
Drinking water is a fundamental necessity, and ensuring its safety is paramount. The DWI, responsible for monitoring and enforcing water quality standards in the UK, appears to be lagging in its duty to protect consumers. With only three legal actions taken in over two years, questions arise about the effectiveness of the DWI's oversight and the robustness of its response to violations.
