Utility Week

The Month in Review Brearley Pinchbeck 6 | APRIL 2022 | UTILITY WEEK O fwat has launched enforcement cases into Anglian, Northum- brian, Thames, Wessex and Yorkshire Water aer finding cause for "serious concern" about their manage- ment of wastewater treatment works. The water regulator opened an investigation in November into how water and wastewater companies manage treatment sites aer reports that companies were operating outside of their Flow to Full Treatment (FFT) permit requirements at some treat- ment works. All water and sewerage companies remain subject to the ongoing environ- mental investigations, with these five being served formal notices to gather evidence for enforcement purposes. "The data that emerged at the end of last year suggested widespread shortcomings in how water companies were running sewage treatment works. The first phase of our investigation suggests those concerns are credible," said David Black, Ofwat interim chief executive. "We have identified shortcomings in most water and wastewater compa- nies and are continuing to investigate. But we have already seen enough in five companies to cause serious concern and warrant us taking further action." Information provided by the five raised concerns for Ofwat because they reported a significant number of sites may be non-compliant with per- mits; their responses raised concerns about how their company manages compliance with environmental obligations; or the companies did not sufficiently show how they are meet- ing the requirements of their environ- mental permits. Ruth Williams, water correspondent See responses from the companies affected at https://utilityweek.co.uk/ five-companies-targeted-in-ofwat-sew- age-treatment-probe/ Five companies targeted in Ofwat sewage treatment probe "Markets are there to serve customers, not to serve people who want to make money out of customers." Sir Dieter Helm, author of 2017's Cost of Energy Review, speaking at Utility Week's Customer Summit. For more coverage from the event see p20-21. The Month in Review The frequency of attempted cyber-attacks has increased by five to six times since Russia began amassing troops on the border ahead of its invasion of Ukraine, one prominent water company has told Utility Week. Over the past few weeks the company has seen an increase in activity against its firewalls, with attacks coming from inside Russia. With assets including pumps and generators con- trolled by computers, there could be a risk to public sup- plies if the security systems were compromised. The company said if the attacks were serious threats, they would not expect to see them coming from Russian IP (internet protocol) addresses and suggested it may be politi- cal posturing to have activity traceable to Russia instead of using decoy IP addresses. However, they added that it is oen not possible to be cer- tain where cyber-attacks are launched from. The company said there was no need to take action because as a critical infrastructure pro- vider its cyber-security was already capable of protecting its systems against such attacks. "If we were in a situation that we needed to add more controls then we weren't doing the right things in the first place," the company explained. "We can look at what's going on and try to paint a picture but we may never know," they said. "If there are any security gaps, we would fill them and remain vigilant." To see the latest coverage on the impact of the Ukraine crisis go to https://utilityweek.co.uk/ category/ukraine-crisis/ 907 Number of owners of the UK's first consumer-backed wind farm – Ripple Energy's Graig Fatha in South Wales – which started generating power this month (April). 67,000 Number of heat pumps estimated to have been installed in 2021, compared to 36,000 the year before. 59% Of those polled by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit at the start of March said they would accept higher energy bills if it helps to undermine Russia's war in Ukraine. 13 Projects that will be awarded a share of £5.2 million from Ofwat's innovation fund for the Water Breakthrough Challenge. Ukraine invasion brings increase in cyber-attacks "We have identified shortcomings in most water and waste- water compa- nies and are continuing to investigate." DAVID BLACK, OFWAT INTERIM CEO

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