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Severn Trent controversies

Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.

Back to profile5 entries

  1. 2025

    Dismissal following internal political speech

    The company faced criticism after dismissing a sewage worker for comments posted on its intranet about Hamas and the October 7 attacks. The disciplinary action followed complaints concerning derogatory language and the company's diversity and inclusion commitments.

    Source

  2. 2024

    Raw sewage discharges into the River Trent

    Severn Trent was fined more than £2 million after discharging more than 260 million litres of raw sewage from Strongford Treatment Works during incidents between November 2019 and February 2020.

    Source

  3. 2024

    Panorama accounting allegations

    BBC Panorama alleged that the accounting treatment of the Severn Trent Trimpley investment overstated the group's financial strength by more than £1 billion. Severn Trent rejected the allegations as completely inaccurate.

    Source

  4. 2020

    Severn Trent fined over sewage discharge into Row Brook

    Fine or penalty

    Severn Trent was fined £800,000 after pleading guilty to three charges relating to sewage discharges from its Acton Burnell treatment works. The Environment Agency said the discharges polluted the brook and had a significant impact on its ecology.

    Company response

    • Apology — Severn Trent

      A Severn Trent spokesman said: “We’re really sorry for the issues at Acton Burnell, and can’t apologise enough for the failings on our part.

    Source excerpt

    • A survey by the Environment Agency carried out the following day concluded that sewage in the brook had a significant impact on macroinvertebrate ecology.
    • Water company Severn Trent has been fined £800,000 for letting 3.8 million litres of raw sewage enter a Shropshire stream.
    • A Severn Trent spokesman said: “We’re really sorry for the issues at Acton Burnell, and can’t apologise enough for the failings on our part.
    Source

  5. 2008

    False-information and leakage-reporting penalties

    Ofwat found that Severn Trent had deliberately supplied false information and delivered poor service. A related penalty concerned misleading reporting and concealment of leakage data.

    Source