Thames Water fine 'will not impact customers'

Image caption, Sewage spilled into nature reserves, the court heard

Customers of Thames Water will not feel the impact of the large fine it faces after pumping millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the River Thames, the company has said.

It has admitted water pollution and other offences at sewage facilities in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Fish and birds died following the spills in 2013 and 2014.

Judge Francis Sheridan, at Aylesbury Crown Court, said customers should not be punished with higher bills.

QC Richard Matthews, defending, put the spills down to negligence rather than recklessness, and said the company had improved, investing 拢4bn in upgrading equipment.

It had also made changes to its structure at the top and kept a high standard, he said.

However, speaking on Monday, the judge said the company had not lived up to that standard, or anywhere near it, in 2013 and 2014.

He added that shareholders should bear the brunt of the fine.

Mr Matthews promised the fine would not impact customers.

Overflowing manholes

The spills resulted in hundreds of dead fish, fewer dragon flies, overflowing manholes and sewage spilling into nature reserves.

Environmental damage was caused in the riverside towns of Henley and Marlow.

There were also reports of nappies and other sewage debris spilling into the Thames.

The four Thames Water Utilities Ltd sewage treatment works where the spills occurred were Aylesbury, Didcot, Henley and Little Marlow.

The other site is a large sewage pumping system in Littlemore in Oxford.

Thames Water will be sentenced on 24 March.