Thames Water secures 23 convictions for illegal water use

The water company has secured 23 convictions in the first five months of 2026 against companies and individuals for unauthorised use of its clean water network.

The convictions relate to 47 separate offences and have resulted in fines and legal costs totalling nearly £90,000.

Claire Rumens, illegal connections manager at Thames Water, said: “Our efforts to identify and stop illegal connections are crucial to protecting the integrity of our network.

“This crucial work prevents millions of litres of water from being wasted and helps us meet our statutory duty to safeguard the supply.

“As we ask customers to use water responsibly and deploy teams around the clock to fix leaks, we’re equally committed to tackling unlawful use of our system.

“We will always try to work constructively with individuals and businesses to educate them and reduce the risk of repeat offences.”

Illegal connections can lead to significant water loss, compromised water quality, and financial losses that undermine infrastructure investment and environmental protection.

Offences involve unauthorised connections to water mains, illegal water abstraction from pipes or standpipes, and splitting single supplies across multiple properties without metering.

Recent prosecutions include McFen Plant Hire Ltd, fined nearly £4,000 for its fourth conviction, and Hudmac Servicing Limited, fined £2,047 for unauthorised standpipe use in Abingdon.

In Southwark, Dinah Adjei-Barwuah and Barfour Adjei-Barwuah were fined £15,280 for illegal connections made while converting a house into three flats.

Thames Water may offer a retrospective charge for a first non-aggravated standpipe offence.