Eleven UK water firms face fines for missing targets

(Reuters) - Eleven water companies in Britain, including Thames Water and Southern Water, face fines of about 150 million pounds ($169 million) for missing various targets, including controlling water supply interruptions, pollution incidents and internal sewer flooding, the country's water regulator said on Monday.

"When it comes to delivering for their customers, too many water companies are falling short," David Black, chief executive officer of Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) said.

"We expect companies to improve their performance every year; where they fail to do so, we will hold them to account," said Black, adding the impact of the fines on customer bills will start from 2023-24.

Thames Water, one of the country's biggest water utilities, faces a fine of about 51 million pounds, said Ofwat, adding that Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water and Yorkshire Water, among others, also face fines.

Earlier this year, the regulator opened enforcement cases into the four companies named above as well as Wessex Water, as part of an ongoing investigation into wastewater treatment works.

However, London-listed Severn Trent and United Utilities have exceeded their targets, the regulator found.

Ofwat not only determines water prices but also pays incentives to companies in Britain to meet or exceed targets. The current targets were set in 2019 at the last price review and are in place until 2025. ($1 = 0.8884 pounds)

(Reporting by Shanima A in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)