The Editor of the Financial Times, Roula Khalaf, provides a curated selection of top stories in the Editor’s Digest newsletter each week. One of the highlighted articles discusses the potential legal challenges facing water companies in the UK, following a Supreme Court ruling.
This significant judgment allows private landowners and individuals to seek redress for sewage released into UK waterways, potentially marking a shift in the regulatory landscape for water companies. The legal challenge, led by the Manchester Ship Canal Company Limited and supported by the Environmental Law Foundation and the Good Law Project, targeted United Utilities, which had argued that only regulators could take action against sewage pollution due to the 1991 Water Industry Act.
The decision has potential implications for an increase in legal claims against sewage polluters like United Utilities, according to Andrew Ross, partner at Charles Russell Speechlys. If more people and businesses use the courts to challenge water companies, as Jennine Walker, interim head of legal at the Good Law Project, suggests, it could lead to a substantial number of claims, including from fishing clubs, swimmers, and riparian owners.
Environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey hailed the ruling as “massive,” signifying a potential turning point for industrial-scale polluters that prioritize profits over environmental protection. Previously, water companies such as Yorkshire Water and United Utilities sought to maintain secrecy regarding the amount and timing of sewage releases by claiming they were private businesses rather than “public authorities.” However, this approach was challenged by FishLegal, a fishermen’s charity, resulting in court rulings in favor of increased transparency.
Faced with mounting pressure and regulatory scrutiny, water companies, such as Thames Water, have already asked for leniency on fines, including those related to sewage pollution. The potential increase in legal challenges could further strain the financial stability of these companies, especially given Thames Water’s efforts to raise at least £3bn by 2030. United Utilities has acknowledged the ruling’s implications and is currently considering its next steps.
