Thames Water has deployed a team of investigators, led by a former detective to track down thieves stealing water from its pipe network.
Having started out as one person, the team has recently been expanded to eight following a “dramatic crime spike” over the last six years.
The investigators patrol London and the Thames Valley to find and, if necessary, prosecute criminals after unauthorised connections have “sky-rocketed” from 33 in 2011 to 734 in 2017.
Thames Water described its action to address the problem as an important step forward because any “unaccounted for water is classed as leakage in end-of-year performance tables”.
In June last year, Thames Water was fined £8.55 million by Ofwat after the regulator described the water company’s underperformance on leakage as “unacceptable”.
Thames Water has since said it is on a “trajectory for recovery” for leakage targets but it may take until 2020.
As the firm published its half-year financial results in November 2017 it admitted it “let down” customers on its leakage performance and pledged to return £40 million of penalties to customers.
Talking about the crack down on unauthorised connections, ex-Surrey Police detective Stuart Orchard, of Thames Water, said: “We’re not out to get people, but it’s against the law to dig up the road, find our water mains and illegally connect to our network.
“Thousands of litres of drinking water are lost every day. Therefore, to help protect water supplies for future generations and gain a greater control of our network, it’s vitally important we find and stop the people doing this.”
A spokesperson for Ofwat, added: “Water theft ultimately ends up costing customers more through higher bills. Water companies must therefore work with relevant authorities to tackle this illegal practice.”
Last month, cleaning firm Hydro Cleansing pleaded guilty to 18 offences in Croydon and Reading after illegally connecting standpipes to the network. The company was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling almost £15,000.
Investigator Claire Rumens, formerly of Kent Police CID, said: “People should follow the correct procedures, not strike cash-in-hand deals with rogue traders.
“If we’re notified of an illegal connection or any illegal activity, we will investigate and potentially go in and disconnect the supply. We try to work with our customers to put things right, and show them how it should be done. But if they continue to abuse the network we do have the power to prosecute, and we will.”
The team had previously taken Kilgannon Street Care to court in September after the road sweeping company was seen on four occasions to be connecting an unlicensed standpipe to a fire hydrant in Battersea, and using thousands of litres to clean the streets.
The firm’s director admitted 12 offences and was ordered to pay more than £5,000 in fines and costs.
Thames Water said reducing leakage is a “top priority” and it has “significantly increased investment” this year.
Ian Marchant, former chief executive of SSE will take over as chairman of Thames tomorrow (26 January), having joined the board on 1 December 2017.
He has been tasked with leading a review of the company’s corporate structure and governance with the intention of closing its subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands.