BUSINESS LIVE: Underperforming water firms to pay compensation

By Live Commentary

Updated: 09:05 EDT, 26 September 2023

The FTSE 100 is up 0.1 per cent in afternoon trading. Among the companies with reports and trading updates today are Asos, British Land, Smiths, Finsbury Food, PZ Cussons and AG Barr. Read the Tuesday 26 September Business Live blog below.

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Smiths Group’s sales surpass £3bn thanks to energy efficiency demand

Smiths Group achieved forecast-beating performance last year as turnover eclipsed the £3billion mark and operating profit more than tripled.

The engineering firm revealed a record 11.6 per cent uptick in headline organic sales for the 12 months ending July, while it also benefited from £146million in positive foreign exchange fluctuations.

Now Aldi staff are given body-worn cameras amid ‘rise in shoplifting’

Staff at supermarket chain Aldi are to be given body-worn cameras as the German discounter becomes the latest retailer to bring in more security measures amidst rising rates of shoplifting across the country.

UK boss Giles Hurley said that the company had not been ‘immune’ to reported rises in people stealing from shops – a rising pattern of behaviour seen nationwide, with some brazen thieves simply filling up carrier bags with items and leaving.

Videndum shares plummet as Hollywood strikes weigh on London-listed film set supplier

Shares in AIM-listed Videndum were hammered after the film set supplier revealed the devastating impact strike action in the US had wrought on its bottom line.

The London-based firm slumped to a £44.3million operating loss in the first half to 30 June, compared to a £19.7million profit the previous year, and revenues fell 25 per cent to £165million.

A 146-day strike by the Writers Guild of America was brought to an end this week after the union came to an agreement with an alliance of studios, streaming services and production companies.

UK music venues ‘must and will close’ if tax relief expires, charity says

(PA) – Britain’s smaller music venues will collapse if a business tax relief measure is taken away next year, a charity representing the sector has warned the Chancellor.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) published an open letter to Jeremy Hunt urging him to extend the existing business rates relief for the retail, hospitality, and leisure sector next year.

The measure means that eligible businesses in the sector can get 75% off their tax bill, capped at £110,000 per firm each year.

But the one-year support is due to expire at the beginning of April 2024.

“The grassroots music sector is in the middle of a full-blown crisis,” the letter reads.

Some 125 venues have shut their doors for live music in the last 12 months, more than 15% of all such spaces in the UK, the MVT said.

It said that 76 of those venues have closed permanently, and the closures have resulted in the loss of 4,000 jobs.

Music venues have been hammered by the Covid-19 lockdowns, soaring energy prices and supply costs, fewer visitors and rising operational costs, and other factors like noise complaints, the MVT found in its annual survey of members.

CBI calls for minsters to launch review into controversial tourist tax

The CBI has called for ministers to launch an independent review of the hated tourist tax, arguing that axing it could boost Britain’s international competitiveness.

It is one of a number of recommendations put forward by the business group ahead of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement in November.

Asos set for weaker profits as sales slump

Asos has warned full-year profits are set to be towards the bottom end of guidance after weaker-than-anticipated summer sales.

The online fashion retailer, which has struggled in recent times with sliding demand, anticipates underlying earnings of £40million to £60million for the 53 weeks ending 3 September.

MARKET REPORT: Alphawave IP shares slump after it slips into the red

Shares in the Canadian company, which listed on the London Stock Exchange at 410p in May 2021, fell another 12.2pc, or 18p, to 129p after another bleak update.

Meta exits Regent’s Place building for £149m as landlord plots revamp

Facebook owner Meta has surrendered the lease on a building in London’s Regents Place, which has been earmarked by its landlord for a major new development.

Meta’s departure from the Regent’s Park-adjacent 1 Triton Square building, which is one of two buildings it has leased in the area, and analysts suggest the move is an indication of skittishness about real estate exposure among tech companies amid an uncertain economic outlook.

Shopping revolution lifts discounters amid consumer pressure

Aldi’s boss declared that the cost of living crisis has ‘changed the way Britain shops’ after sales at the supermarket chain hit a record high.

Giles Hurley said ‘a new generation of savvy shoppers’ are ‘flocking’ to Aldi and buying more own-label goods in a bid to trim their grocery bills.

MAGGIE PAGANO: The sick man of Europe

Over the last year, Britain’s workers have taken on average 7.8 days off sick – two days more than before the Covid pandemic and the highest for more than a decade.

It’s a shocking increase, and particularly perturbing because of the sheer number of employees citing mental health and stress as the reason for their absence.

‘While the economic outlook looks challenging, Smiths has proven adept at hitting its medium-term targets’

Mark Crouch, analyst at eToro:

‘Smiths Group has got momentum, with the engineering firm reporting another year of record revenue and earnings growth. With the firm’s operating profit, margin, cash conversion ratio and dividend also growing, there is plenty to like about these results.

‘The industrial technology firm is running very efficiently and effectively, with operating cash conversion and return on capital soaring over the past 12 months. Despite this, the firm’s balance sheet is actually a little weaker than it was a year ago, although it is still very robust.

‘Looking forward, while the economic outlook looks challenging, Smiths has proven adept at hitting its medium-term targets for revenue and profitability. With the firm continuing to benefit from the shift to decarbonization, we believe it can carry on doing so.’

Underperforming water firms to pay compensation

Market open: FTSE 100 down 0.1%; FTSE 250 off 0.4%

London-listed stocks are in the red again this morning as worries of tighter macro conditions dampened sentiment, while Asos has fallen to a more than two-month low after reporting grim results and outlook.

ASOS reported a 15 per cent decline in fourth-quarter sales and said second-half earnings were expected to be around the bottom of its guided range.

The FTSE 250 is weighed down by a 4.3 per cent loss in Close Brothers. The banking firm said its financial results for the full year were significantly impacted by provisions in relation to Novitas.

AG Barr has added 2.7 per cent after the Irn-Bru maker posted a rise in its first-half profit, helped by strong demand for its cocktail mixes, soft drinks and price hikes of its products.

Amazon in £3bn punt on artificial intelligence start-up

Amazon has become the latest tech giant to enter the AI arms race by pouring billions into the start-up behind a popular chatbot.

The online shopping firm said it will invest up to £3.3bn into San Franciscobased Anthropic, the developer of AIpowered chatbot Claude, a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

AG Barr profits tick higher

Irn-Bru maker AG Barr saw a marginal rise in its first-half profit, helped by strong demand for its cocktail mixes, soft drinks and price hikes of its products.

The beverage maker said its adjusted profit before tax came in at £27million for the six-month period ended 30 July, compared with £25.3million a year ago.

Roger White, chief executive, said:

‘We have made significant financial and strategic progress in the first half and have exciting plans in place for the balance of the year to sustain our growth momentum.

‘We remain confident in delivering a full year profit performance in line with our recently increased market expectations and are well positioned to deliver strong shareholder returns for the long-term.’

Nissan to go all-electric across UK by 2030

Nissan’s boss said the world ‘needs to move on’ as he confirmed plans to build electric cars in Britain.

Speaking just days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed back the ban on new petrol and diesel engines from 2030 to 2035, Makoto Uchida said: ‘There’s no going back. The world needs to move on from internal combustion engines. We have a responsibility to be part of the solution.’

Citigroup boss to staff: ‘Get on board or get off the train’

Citigroup’s British boss has delivered an uncompromising message to staff as she overhauls the US bank – telling them to ‘get off the train’ if they are not committed to the restructuring.

Jane Fraser has been chief executive of the lender – valued at £65bn – since March 2021, making her the most powerful woman among Wall Street’s banking heavyweights.

‘It will take longer for Asos to turn its fortunes around’

Joshua Warner, market analyst at City Index:

“ASOS has kept on the right track since escaping the red back in June as it tries to turnaround the business by becoming more agile, simple and efficient and remained profitable and cash generative in the second half.

‘However, earnings came in at the bottom-end of its target range and cashflow will be much lower than hoped as sales remain under pressure. ASOS blamed this on “timing effects”, but it will ultimately lead shareholders to think it will take longer for ASOS to turn its fortunes around.

‘ASOS remains a recovery play as it prepares to shift to its new commercial model once inventory levels have returned to a more normal size and its shift to a faster stock model is proving successful as its test case shows products turn around three times faster than usual.

‘Accelerating the turnaround in stock will not only be key to improving profitability and cashflow, but also paving the way for ASOS to reduce net debt.’

Meta dumps Regent’s Place building

Meta Platforms has surrendered one of the two buildings it leases from FTSE 250 Britihs Land at London’s Regent’s Place, as tech companies turn cautious about office real estate due to prevailing macroeconomic uncertainties.

The property firm said the lease surrender would lead to an earnings per share dilution of about 0.6 pence for its half-year period.

British Land said it was ‘comfortable’ with current market expectations for the 2024 fiscal year despite the move by the Facebook-owner, as it saw a better-than-anticipated collection of historic Covid-19 arrears.

Smiths Group profits soar

British industrial technology company Smiths Group has posted a 20 per cent rise in operating profit for the 12 months to the end of July as demand for scanners, valves and connectors soared, helped by decarbonisation trends.

The FTSE 100 group, which makes airport security scanners as well as specialist products used in the oil and gas and hydrogen sectors, made a profit of £501million for the year and said it expected more growth next year.

Paul Keel, chief executive, said:

‘We had another strong year of progress in fiscal 2023 as we further accelerated our growth, sharpened our execution, and developed our talented people. We delivered year-on-year improvement against all five of our medium-term financial commitments, including record organic sales and EPS growth.

‘Innovation is central to our purpose of improving our world through smarter engineering, and new product launches contributed more than three percentage points to our growth.

‘We continued to invest in R&D as artificiaI intelligence and other digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in enabling us to support our customers more effectively. We are also further building our capabilities to capitalise on the growing megatrends we are exposed to across the major markets we serve, including energy transition and the world’s ever-increasing need for better security.’

Asos sales slump

Asos sales slumped 15 per cent in the fourth-quarter sales and the group has warned second half earnings are expected to come in at the bottom-end of its guided range.

However, the retailer has said its turnaround plan is making progress.

Asos announced an overhaul of its business model last October after the economic downturn and a string of operational problems hammered its profits and shares.

The strategy is to prioritise profit over top-line growth by reducing the amount of stock Asos carries, cutting costs and improving its cash position.

Underperforming water firms to pay compensation

Underperforming water firms including Thames Water will be forced to return £114million to customers next year, industry regulatory Ofwat said on Tuesday.

David Black, Ofwat CEO, said:

‘The targets we set for companies were designed to be stretching – to drive improvements for customers and the environment.

‘However, our latest report shows they are falling short, leading to £114m being returned to customers through bill reductions. While that may be welcome to billpayers, it is very disappointing news for all who want to see the sector do better.

‘It is not going to be easy for companies to regain public trust, but they have to start with better service for customers and the environment. We will continue to use all our powers to ensure the sector delivers better value.’

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Rainbow warriors: Dutch police blast eco-protesters with water cannons and drag them away as demonstrators shut major roadway for a seventh day

• Protests in The Hague against subsidies for fossil fuel using industries continue
• Dutch police deployed water cannons in attempt to dislodge activists 
• Environmental activists globally plan for weekend of climate protests  

By Jacob Judah

Published: 11:39 EDT, 15 September 2023 | Updated: 12:41 EDT, 15 September 2023

Police in the Netherlands used water cannons in The Hague today to remove environmental activists that have been disrupting traffic for seven days.

Protesters, from groups including Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, and others, have been demanding that the Dutch government end subsidies to industries using fossil fuels.

Photos on Friday showed water cannons spraying protestors as they blocked the A12 through The Hague. Protestors carried signs reading ‘Stop Financing the Problem’ as police appeared to detain the activists.

The demonstrations followed a report published last week by The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations that revealed that the Dutch government has been subsidising industries that use oil, coal, and gas to the tune of some €37.5billion.

Police were carting protestors out of the road, while activists sat beneath umbrellas as they were showered by water cannons.

Environmental protestors were blasted with water cannons on Friday as Dutch police tried to remove them from a key road in the The Hague

Protests have been ongoing for seven days against subsidies for industries that use fossil fuels

Activists in The Hague blocked the A12, a road that runs near to the temporary home of the Dutch parliament 

Thousands have been detained since the protests began a week ago. 

Last Saturday, some 10,000 were reported to have attended the demonstration, and over 3,000 protestors were detained over the weekend.

The protests in the Netherlands on Friday coincided with others held in dozens of other countries around the world as climate groups hoped for a weekend of demonstrations intended to conclude with a March to End Fossil Fuels on Sunday in New York, where leaders are gathering at the United Nations General Assembly. 

The United Nations is hosting the Climate Ambition Summit on September 20. 

Activists in The Hague have promised to stay put and return if removed until the Dutch government alters its approach to subsidies for fossil fuel consuming industries.

Environmentalists have staged several large protests in the Netherlands over the past several months. Activists also blocked the A12 which runs past the current temporary home of the Dutch parliament in May and March.

Thousands have been detained since protests began seven days ago

The Netherlands is preparing for elections in November 2023 and environmental activists have been calling for a quicker transition away from fossil fuels

Activists from Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, and other groups participated in the protests

While the Netherlands is often seen as an environmental leader, there are calls for further green measures to be put in place as the country moves towards early general elections in November.

Incumbent Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, who has been in power almost thirteen years, has said that he will not stand for re-election. His coalition collapsed amid a dispute over migration policy in July.

The Netherlands wants to cut emissions of pollutants by 50 per cent by 2030 in what the government has described as an ‘unavoidable transition’.

The Netherlands wants to cut emissions of pollutants by 50 perc ent by 2030 in what the government has described as an ‘unavoidable transition’

Protestors were carted away by police in The Hague 

The United Nations is hosting the Climate Ambition Summit on September 20

• The toddler suffered severe neurological damage brough on by the amoeba
• Health officials confirmed the amoeba was lurking in the country club’s water
• READ MORE:  Nevada boy dies from rare brain eating amoeba from Lake Mead

By Cassidy Morrison Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 11:33 EDT, 15 September 2023 | Updated: 14:32 EDT, 15 September 2023

An Arkansas toddler has died after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba he was exposed to at a Little Rock country club.

The 16-month-old was playing at the country club’s splash pad when he was infected with Naegleria fowleri, a water-dwelling amoeba that causes inflammation in the brain and destroys tissue, killing nearly 100 percent of its victims.

The Arkansas Department of Health confirmed through lab testing that the water playground where the young boy and likely many other children were playing contained traces of the amoeba. The club promptly shut the pool and splashpad down.  

The state coroner said the child, Michael Alexander Pollock III, died the evening of September 4 at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

He is believed to be one of five victims of the brain-eating infection this year, the most recent being a Texas resident who died after swimming in an Austin lake. 

Michael Alexander Pollock III died on September 4 after being exposed to the brain-eating amoeba

The state health department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention testing confirmed the splashpad at the club contained the amoeba

The little boy had been playing in the splashpad when he was exposed but the country club has also shut down its pool. The health department has not yet confirmed that pool water samples also contained  the amoeba 

The Health Department said there is no ongoing threat to the public and the pool area remains closed to this day

Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled microorganism that lives in warm freshwater, the type that spurts out of water fountains on splash pads.

When the parasite gets into the nose and travels through the nasal passages, it reaches the brain where it feeds on brain tissue, leading to severe neurological damage. The infection is called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

It is not clear how much time elapsed between Michael’s exposure to the brain-wasting organism and his death, though the infection typically progresses quickly. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms come on between one and 12 days after swimming in contaminated water, and death typically follows about five days later.

Symptoms resemble a virus at first, including headache, nausea, fever, and stiff neck. But they quickly progress to more severe neurological issues including seizures, hallucinations, coma, and often death.

Just 157 cases of PAM were confirmed from 1962 to 2022, but only four people survived.

The Arkansas Department of Health, which sent water samples to the CDC for testing, said: ‘The CDC has reported one splash pad sample as confirmed to have viable Naegleria fowleri. The remaining samples are still pending. The department has been in contact with the Country Club of Little Rock, and they have been cooperative in inquiries with the ADH.’

While generally very rare, there are believed to have been at least five other casualties in the US this year. Last month, a man in Texas died of the infection after taking a swim in in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson near Austin. 

That incident came about a month after a similar death in Georgia. Just a few weeks before the Georgia case, a two-year-old in Nevada succumbed to the infection from the amoeba. 

Another death due to the infection was reported in Charlotte County, Florida, around 70 miles south of Tampa, back in March.   

The last case reported in Arkansas was in 2013 when a 12-year-old girl named Kali Hardig who contracted the infection from a water park, and survived.

What is Naegleria fowleri? 

Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that ‘literally eats the brain tissue,’ according to Dr Anjan Debnath, a parasitic disease expert at the University of California, San Diego.

It thrives in warm climates in freshwater including hot springs and lakes.

Improper water treatment in pools, private ponds and even tap water can lead to deadly exposure to the amoeba as well. 

The amoeba travels up the nose where it has a direct route to the brain. 

Once a person’s olfactory nerve in the nose is exposed, symptoms typically come on within one to nine days.

Those who are infected will usually die within five days of symptoms first appearing. 

Early stage symptoms resemble those of the flu.

Symptoms as the infection worsens include severe neurological issues like seizures, hallucinations, confusion, and coma.

Southern Water pins efficiency hopes on ‘LeakBot’ trial

• LeakBot will be introduced in a trial to over 1,000 customers in the group’s area

By Daniel Fessahaye

Published: 09:35 EDT, 14 August 2023 | Updated: 09:35 EDT, 14 August 2023

Under fire water company Thames Water has partnered with a home tech insurance claims prevention specialist to cut down on leakages with use of a new tool.

Southern Water, which provide water to over 2.5million homes in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent, will introduce Ondo InsurTech’s ‘LeakBot’ in a trial to over 1,000 customers.

LeakBot is a self-install solution that connects to the home wireless network and, if it detects a leak, notifies the customer via the LeakBot mobile app and provides access to a team of expert LeakBot engineers to ‘find and fix’ the problem.

Southern Water, which currently sits on a £5.2billion debt pilew,  has ranked among the poorest performers in the struggling UK water industry, having faced criticism for its record on pollution in particular. 

LeakBot is a self-install solution that connects to the home wireless network and, if it detects a leak, notifies the customer via the LeakBot mobile app

The group hopes to achieving similar water reduction results via the LeakBot trial as that seen during a test in Portsmouth earlier this year. 

The Portsmouth results showed LeakBot was able to prevent water leaks within the Portsmouth Water area by 60 per cent, which is estimated to be around 24 litres per day and is 67 per cent of the 36 litres a day Ofwat target.

Based on the findings, if LeakBot were rolled out to Southern Water customers, 83 megalitres of water a day could be saved – the equivalent of 32 Olympic swimming pools, according to the firm.

Tim McMahon, managing director of water at Southern Water, said: ‘There has never been a more pressing time to save every drop of water. The South East is officially water stressed. 

‘Climate change, causing hotter summers and less rainfall, and population growth means we have more people and less water to go around. So, we must act to reduce water wastage.

Based on the findings, if LeakBot were rolled out to Southern Water customers, 83 megalitres of water a day could be saved which is the equivalent of 32 Olympic swimming pools

‘We’re working with our customers reduce water use and are exploring new technology to help us find and fix more leaks quickly in our network. 

‘We’ve been impressed by the results of the activity we’ve seen so far from LeakBot and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact this technology could have on reducing leaks and improving engagement in the Southern Water area.’

Earlier this year, Ofwat claimed that around 20 per cent of water running through pipes in England and Wales is currently being lost to leakage and has identified this an issue of growing importance amid population growth and climate change. 

In June, the water industry watchdog gave the green light to the acceleration of around £2.2billion worth of investments to reduce leaks and river pollution.

Ofwat approved 33 investment schemes put forward by water companies, which include measures to improve water quality and install smart meters.

The first tranche of investments is set to begin in the next two financial years, from 2023 to 2025, with projects to be completed by 2030.

Craig Foster, Ondo CEO, said: ‘We’re increasingly excited about the opportunity to work with water companies to reduce water wasted through leaks.

‘When combining the business cases for both water companies and insurers, we have a proposition which could scale quickly and really add benefit to both industries and their customers. 

‘To get us closer to this large-scale opportunity, we’re looking forward to working with Southern Water on our second pilot within the water industry.’

Water damage is the single biggest cause of home insurance claims, accounting for $17bn of claims every year in the USA and UK combined. 

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Macquarie pours fresh funds into Southern Water

By City & Finance Reporter

Published: 16:50 EDT, 11 August 2023 | Updated: 03:32 EDT, 12 August 2023

Macquarie has poured another half-a-billion pounds into struggling Southern Water, taking its stake in the group to over 75 per cent.

The Australian asset manager injected £550million into the utilities group – which takes the total amount of the bailout to £1.65billion following a similar cash infusion two years ago.

That investment prevented the industry regulator Ofwat from placing the water group into administration.

Cash injection: Macquarie has poured another half-a-billion pounds into struggling Southern Water

The rescue comes amid a financial crisis in the water industry. Several of the UK’s privatised regional monopolies are finding themselves strapped for cash after loading up on debt and paying out bumper dividends to investors.

Southern Water supplies areas including Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight.

It is sitting on a £5.2billion debt pile that was recently downgraded – making it more expensive for the firm to borrow, while also banning it from paying dividends to shareholders.

The company said that of the £550million cash infusion, around £375million would be used to ‘support additional investment aimed at protecting the environment and better serving our customers’.

Southern Water is one of the poorest performing water firms in Britain and has been repeatedly criticised for its record on pollution. It was found to have dumped sewage in areas ranging from oyster beds near Whitstable in Kent to sailing waters off Hampshire.

Macquarie has previously been blamed for a similar crisis at rival utility group, Thames Water, in which it was formerly the largest shareholder.

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

Drinking two litres of water per day is vital for keeping the body hydrated.

But rapidly getting through this amount — just shy of four pints — can be deadly, experts warn.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bosses advise getting through no more than 1.4 litres in an hour, around six cups. Otherwise, it can trigger hyponatremia, a medical emergency that can shut down the body.

The CDC also warns it can happen with energy drinks and other fluids.

Mother-of-two Ashley Summers, of Indiana, died after drinking two litres of water in just 20 minutes. 

The 35-year-old, who was feeling dehydrated and wanted to quench her thirst, collapsed and never regained consciousness.

Drinking two litres of water per day — around eight cups — is vital for keeping the body hydrated (left). But rapidly getting through this amount can be deadly, experts warn. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bosses advise no more than 1.4 litres per hour, around six cups (right)

Ashley Summers, 35, was a daycare worker and mother of two. She passed away soon after the July 4th holiday from water intoxication or hyponatremia

Hyponatremia occurs when levels of sodium in blood drop to abnormally low levels.

Sodium is vital for regulating the amount of water in the body and controlling blood pressure, nerves and muscles.

When the concentration of the electrolyte is off-balance, extra water causes the body’s cells and makes them swell. 

This is most dangerous if it occurs in the brain, with the organ unable to swell due to the skull, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

As a result, it can lead to seizures or a coma, which can be fatal.

However, symptoms are usually less severed and include vomiting, headaches, confusion, tiredness, low blood pressure, muscle weakness and seizures.

Hyponatremia occurs when sodium levels in the blood — which are usually between 135 and 145 milliequivalents/litre (mEq/L) — fall below 135 mEq/L.

Although a potential consequence of downing too much water, it can also be caused by kidney failure, heart failure and some medications. 

Some cases can be treated in hospital through a IV drip containing sodium solution or medication. 

But the death rate among those admitted is around 25 per cent, studies suggest.

Fatalities and hospital admissions have been reported after people drank seven to eight litres of water in a day — compared with the recommendation of around two litres.

Some people may need to drink more — such as those who are pregnant, doing a strenuous workout or are recovering from an illness.

Health chiefs also advise that people may need to drink more fluids in hot weather.

Researchers believe Kung fu expert Bruce Lee could have died from drinking too much water. He passed away aged 32 in the summer of 1973 while in Hong Kong.

The martial arts supremo and Hollywood star died from brain swelling, which doctors at the time blamed on him taking painkillers. But more recent research suggests his excessive fluid intake may have caused him to develop hyponatraemia. 

Ms Summers’s death is the latest to highlight the risks of consuming too much liquid. 

She had spent a leisurely day at Lake Freeman in Indiana over the fourth of July weekend.

On the last day of her trip, she had felt lightheaded and had a headache. But no amount of water could satiate her thirst.

She drank 1.9 litres of water — around eight cups — in just 20 minutes. 

When Ms Summers returned home, she collapsed in her garage, having suffered severe brain swelling. She never regained consciousness. 

Doctors at Indiana University Health Arnett Hospital diagnosed her with hyponatremia.

When Devon Miller, Ms Summers’ brother, heard of his sister’s condition, he was in disbelief. He said: ‘It was a big shock to us all. I was just like, this is a thing?’

‘She just felt like she couldn’t get enough water… When they left the sand bar to when they got to the dock, it was about a 20 minute boat ride … she drank four bottles of water in that 20 minutes.’

He added: ‘My sister, Holly, called me, and she was just an absolute wreck. She was like, “Ashley is in the hospital. She has brain swelling, they don’t know what’s causing it, they don’t know what they can do to get it to go down, and it’s not looking good”.’

The people who’ve died (or come close) due to over-hydration

Almost 50 years after he passed away, doctors have now claimed that Kung fu expert Bruce Lee’s mysterious death could have been caused by drinking too much water

Bruce Lee 

Almost 50 years after he passed away, doctors claimed that Kung fu expert Bruce Lee’s mysterious death could have been caused by drinking too much water.

The Hollywood star died aged 32 in the summer of 1973 while in Hong Kong.

An autopsy at the time showed Bruce had died from brain swelling, which doctors blamed on him taking painkillers.

Several other theories — such as assassination and heatstroke — had been suggested as his cause of death.

But in November 2022, researchers said his excessive fluid intake may have caused him to develop hyponatraemia. 

Andy Warhol

The family of Andy Warhol sued New York Hospital for improper care and water intoxication, with a lawyer adding that ‘the fluids drowned him’

Art icon Andy Warhol went in for what was thought to be a routine gallbladder surgery in February 1987, aged 58.

Shockingly, the artist died from a sudden post-operative irregular heartbeat, medically known as an arrhythmia, at New York Hospital — where he had been recovering.

Doctors had expected Warhol to survive the surgery but when the case was looked at thirty years after his death, it was suggested the operation was riskier than originally thought. 

His family later sued the hospital for inadequate care and said the arrhythmia was caused by improper care and water intoxication.

The malpractice case was settled in court and the family received an undisclosed sum of money. 

Lawyer Bruce Clark said in 1991 that Warhol died ‘virtually unattended’ and was ‘overloaded with fluids’ by doctors.

Mr Clark claimed the hospital negligently pumped more than twice the required volume of fluids into Warhol causing internal pressure, adding that ‘the fluids drowned him’.

The lawyer, who represented the heirs to the estate, including Mr Warhol’s two brothers and the Warhol foundation, spoke in court of what he described as mistakes and omissions by the hospital staff both before and after the artist’s ‘routine’ surgery.

Leah Betts

Leah Betts died in 1995 after taking an ecstasy pill then drinking around seven litres of water

Leah Sarah Betts, from Essex, died aged 18 on November 16, 1995, after taking an ecstasy tablet then drinking around seven litres of water.

She downed the large quantity of liquid in a 90-minute period and collapsed into a coma four hours later.

Leah died five days after being admitted to hospital when her life support was switched off.

An inquest determined her death was not as a result of the ecstasy tablet, but rather how much water she had drank.

It was thought that she drank the large amount based off advice to ravers at the time that drinking water would help avoid becoming dehydrated.

The amount she drank resulted in water intoxication — where the brain functions are disturbed due to excessive water intake, which caused swelling on the brain.

However, the ecstasy tablet could have reduced her ability to urinate, exacerbating the water intoxication.

A toxicologist at the inquest said: ‘If Leah had taken the drug alone, she might well have survived. If she had drunk the amount of water alone, she would have survived.’ 

David Rogers 

David Rogers died from water intoxication in 2007, aged 22, after completing the London Marathon

David Rogers, a 22-year-old fitness instructor from Milton Keynes, died after completing the London Marathon in 2007.

David, who had been running the 26-mile (42km) course, collapsed at the end of the race and died in Charing Cross Hospital. 

At the time, the marathon was the hottest in the event’s 27-year history and David’s death came as race organisers faced criticism over water supplies running out.

However, it later emerged that the runner had in fact died from water intoxication.  

His father, Chris Rogers paid tribute to his son, who he described as ‘a happy-go-lucky lad who brought happiness to everyone’.

He said he and his wife Sarah saw their son at Tower Bridge and said he was ‘ecstatic’, but they later learned he had been taken to hospital.

A London Marathon spokeswoman said every care was taken to ensure the runners were fit to compete.

There was controversy surrounding the year’s marathon as critics suggested it be moved to a cooler time in the year. 

Anthony Andrews 

English actor Anthony Andrews revealed that he almost died after drinking eight litres of water

English actor Anthony Andrews has spoken of almost dying after he drank four times the daily recommended amount of water.

The West End and TV actor collapsed in a car after two back-to-back performances of My Fair Lady.

He had consumed eight litres of water — grabbing a bottle every time he came off stage — to lubricate his vocal cords in the hot theatre. 

He was taken to East Surrey Hospital where he spent three days in intensive care.

The amount of water he drank caused water intoxication and his wife Georgina said he was ‘not making sense’ on the phone, so she called her GP.

Mr Andrews, best known for his performance in ITV’s Brideshead Revisited, told the Evening Standard in 2003 that he had the quick thinking of his driver Barry to thank for saving his life.

Mr Andrews’s dresser Lynn had told Barry the actor wasn’t quite himself and later said he was drinking more than he usually did. 

He said he remembered suffering from during the performance that day but did not think it was anything unusual. 

Mr Andrews said the last thing he remembered was getting into the car after the performance at the Drury Lane Theatre and the next thing he was aware of was waking up on Tuesday morning.

Jennifer Strange 

Mother-of-three Jennifer Strange died in 2007 after a water-drinking contest

A mother-of-three was found dead in 2007, aged just 28, after drinking almost eight litres of water in a California radio contest.

Jennifer Strange, from Sacramento, California, died of acute water intoxication after the challenge, which awarded contestants who could drink the most water without going to the toilet.  

The ‘Hold Your Wee for a Wii’ contest — where the winner was promised a Nintendo Wii — was held by KDNDFM radio station.

Jennifer initially joked that she ‘looked pregnant again’ but later complained of an upset stomach and headache.

She vomited immediately after the competition before heading home. She was found dead that afternoon.

Entercom Sacramento — the operator for the radio station — was found by a jury to be liable for Jennifer’s death. 

The radio station fired ten members of staff following the competition but argued during a trial that Jennifer should have known the contest could be dangerous.

The family of Jennifer won £10million in compensation.  

Matthew Carrington 

Matthew Carrington died in 2005 after a water-related fraternity hazing

Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old student at Chicago State University, died on February 2, 2005, after water-related fraternity hazing.

The student died in the basement of a frat house after being forced to drink water and perform callisthenics — a form of strength training — with fans blowing on him.

The fraternity ritual caused water intoxication resulting in swelling of Matthew’s brain, seizures and heart failure. 

A court at the time heard the fraternity delayed calling for help for more than an hour.

Four students pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for Matthew’s death.

In honour of the student, a law came into force called Matt’s Law, which allows for felony prosecutions when serious injuries or deaths result from hazing rituals. 

Prior to the introduction of Matt’s law, hazing — even where a death had occurred — was classed as a misdemeanour. 

A vegan influencer who lived on an ‘extreme’ diet of raw fruit and vegetables could ‘barely walk’ and hadn’t drunk water for more than six years before she reportedly died from starvation and exhaustion, her friends have revealed.

Zhanna Samsonova, originally from Russia and known as Zhanna D’Art on social media, had been on the raw plant-based diet for ten years that consisted of fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices.

Ms Samsonova, who friends say was suffering from anorexia, became so weak in the final weeks of her life as a result of her extreme diet that she was practically bed-bound and it would take her ‘several minutes’ to walk up one step on a staircase.

The 39-year-old’s friends have revealed they were ‘horrified’ at her emaciated appearance and begged her to get help from doctors – but she refused and carried on with her diet of raw plant-based foods.

Ms Samsonova, who hadn’t drunk water for more than six years and instead replaced it with fruit and vegetable juices, died on July 21 while in intensive care at a hospital in Malaysia.

The influencer, who had over 10,000 Instagram followers and had been travelling across Asia for the past 17 years, reportedly died from a cholera-like infection that was exacerbated by her extreme restrictive eating, her mother told Russian newspaper Vechernyaya Kazan.

Zhanna Samsonova (pictured), originally from Russia and known as Zhanna D’Art on social media, had been on the raw plant-based diet for ten years that consisted of fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices

Ms Samsonova (pictured), who friends say was suffering from anorexia, became so weak in the final weeks of her life as a result of her extreme diet that she was practically bed-bound and it would take her ‘several minutes’ to walk up one step on a staircase 

In a post published on June 7, Ms Samsonova said she was excited for fruit season in Thailand, saying it was ‘time to gain weight’

Ms Samsonova’s official cause of death has not yet been determined as her family try to get her body back to Russia amid bureaucratic delays.

There were periods when Ms Samsonova would practice ‘dry fasting’ – where she would refuse to eat or drink anything for days.

In the final months of her life, Ms Samsonova’s friends had desperately urged her to get help and eat more substantive foods – but they said it was ‘impossible’ to get her to speak to doctors or eat anything other than raw fruit and vegetables.

Olga Chernyaeva , one of the influencer’s friends, told the Russian newspaper Novye Izvestia: ‘I watched her journey to death for seven years. About five months ago, I met Zhanna in Sri Lanka and she had a haggard look. 

‘Her legs were swollen… It was amazing that she was still moving – I think she did it through pain.’

Ms Chernyaeva added: ‘I tried to talk to her, to convince her to seek help from doctors, to take tests. I showed her her body in the mirror and in photographs of past years. But Zhanna’s character was not simple, it was impossible to convince her on certain issues.’ 

Her devastated friend said that she watched helplessly as Ms Samsonova became ‘only bones’ and was left practically bed-bound.

Ms Chernyaeva said: ‘She was in bed for almost a month. If she got up, it was very difficult for her to walk – it took several minutes to overcome one step of the stairs.

‘I brought her fruits every morning – it was impossible to get her to eat something else. Boolean arguments didn’t work. Zhanna believed that death does not exist.’ 

The 39-year-old’s friends have revealed they were ‘horrified’ at her emaciated appearance and begged her to get help from doctors – but she refused and carried on with her diet of raw plant-based foods

There were periods when Ms Samsonova (pictured last month) would practice ‘dry fasting’ – where she would refuse to eat or drink anything for days

Another of Ms Samsonova’s friends, who she met in Thailand, told Russian news outlet 116.ru: ‘It was scary to look at her, to be honest, her hands were like those of my 12-year-old sister, thin.’ 

Another friend said they saw Ms Samsonova a few months ago in Sri Lanka ‘looking exhausted’. 

‘They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified,’ they said.

‘I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning. I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn’t make it,’ the friend added.

Another friend said: ‘Ms Samsonova’s idle starvation was causing her to melt before our eyes, but she believed everything was fine.

‘Only her eyes, merry eyes, and gorgeous hair compensated for the dreadful sight of a body tortured by idiocy. Forgive me if it sounds harsh.’

Ms Samsonova refused to listen to their warnings and it proved fatal after she reportedly died of an infection and exhaustion exacerbated by her raw food diet.

The food blogger’s mother Vera Samsonova told local news outlets Ms Samsonova was supposed to fly home to Kazan on the day of her death. 

Vera did not approve of her daughter’s extreme diet and tried to convince her to introduce more balanced eating habits but she refused.

Ms Samsonova moved from veganism to a purely raw food diet consisting of vegetables and fruit, with the influencer sharing what she described as ‘healthy ‘ recipes on her Instagram profile.

The influencer, who appeared increasingly emaciated in her social media videos as time went on, would post footage of her eating her lunch which consisted of a whole melon and carrot juice at times. 

In another video, Ms Samsonova told her Instagram followers how she was having cherry tomatoes, an avocado and avocado juice for lunch. 

‘Despite the fact that I cook fancy raw dishes, I eat very simply myself. My food is simple, no oil, no salt, no dehydrated food and no protein,’ Ms Samsonova wrote in a post. ‘Today for lunch I have delicious avocado kefir, sweet cherry tomatoes and ripe avocado. Bon appetit.’

One person commented on Ms Samsonova’s recent post and wrote: ‘This is just pure starvation, not a healthy raw vegan diet. I’m sorry to hear it ended badly. I wish I could have helped you out of your eating disorder.’

Ms Samsonova (pictured) had claimed that her ten years on a raw plant-based had meant she was ‘in perfect health’ and ‘never got the usual seasonal cold’

Ms Samsonova had been following a vegan diet for about more than 15 years starting out by allowing herself fish and dairy occasionally. 

However over the years, her restrictive eating became more and more extreme and she eventually only ate raw fruit and vegetables alongside juice. 

She had claimed that her ten years on a raw plant-based had meant she was ‘in perfect health’ and ‘never got the usual seasonal cold’.

But in 2021, Ms Samsonova travelled back to her native Russia for the first time in nine years but immediately fell ill with coronavirus. 

Ms Samsonova said she had ‘ignored’ all Covid precautions before becoming infected and bizarrely claimed she ‘cured’ herself of the virus by dry fasting – where she did not drink or eat anything for more than ten days.

She wrote on Instagram: ‘I was the category of people who wasn’t afraid to get infected with viruses and ignored all the precautions, because over the past ten years on raw plant-based diets I was in perfect health and I didn’t even get the usual seasonal cold.

‘And ironically… I still got sick [with Covid] and was in bed for ten days.’ 

Ms Samsonova then went on to bizarrely claim: ‘I began to cure myself with dry fasting, since for a long time I have been practicing this method, as I can cure all ailments.

‘The illness gradually began to recede, already the days of dry hunger and I was getting better and better every day… The most critical time is behind me I have overcome this disease despite my unconventional treatment which many condemn.’

If you need help and support, you can talk in confidence to advisors at the charity Beat Eating Disorders by calling its adult helpline on 0808 801 0677 or youth helpline on 0808 801 0711. 

You can visit their website here: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/get-help-for-myself/i-need-support-now/helplines/

For wetter, for worse! Moment beaming bride wades through water to walk down the aisle after devastating typhoon swept the Philippines

By Olivia Jones

Published: 07:51 EDT, 1 August 2023 | Updated: 07:55 EDT, 1 August 2023

This is the moment a bride wades through water to walk down the aisle in a flooded church impacted by typhoons in the Philippines.

Heartwarming footage shows bride Dianne Victoriano pushing through ankle-deep waters towards her groom Paulo Padilla in the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan province, on Sunday.

Despite the water soaking her shoes and wedding train, the now Mrs Padilla can be seen holding a bouquet of white and pink roses. She then says her vows in front of guests.

The newlywed said: ‘When we saw the church flooded, we just resolved to push through with the ceremony, no matter what.

‘It didn’t matter if the guests refused to come because of the situation. What’s important is that we wanted to be married, that the two of us were there, and that our families were with us.’

This is the moment bride Dianne Victoriano wades through water to walk down the aisle in a flooded church impacted by typhoons in the Philippines

After wading through the water she stands with her groom Paulo Padilla in the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan province which has been hit by monsoons

Mr Padilla said the roads leading to the church had also been submerged in floods, but that did not deter them from proceeding with the wedding.

He said: ‘Even though our car felt like it was going to sink, we kept going to make it to the church.’

The couple said they were also thankful that their guests still attended despite the heavy flood and poor weather.

Dianne added: ‘We braved tall floods just to make it out of our houses. Nothing was impossible. Of all the impossible things, God made that day possible for us.’

The provincial government had placed Bulacan, where Barasoain Church is located, under a state of calamity due to severe floods caused by Super Typhoon Doksuri, which has also hit China in recent weeks.

The storm had exited the Philippine monitoring zone on July 27, but the destruction it caused still remained. 

Meanwhile Tropical Storm Khanun churned towards the country on July 29, bringing heavy rain and flooding as it intensified into a full-fledged typhoon by Sunday.

Khanun is forecasted to batter the Philippines until August 1 before moving northwest.

Footage has captured the moment debris was pulled from the water after an army helicopter crashed with the search continuing for four missing aircrew onboard. 

The MRH-90 Taipan crashed into the ocean off Lindeman Island, near Hamilton Island in north Queensland, at about 10.30pm on Friday.

The wreckage of the Taipan was discovered south of Hamilton Island, near Dent Island, but no survivors have been found.

The crew were participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre – joint military training between Australia, the US and 11 other ally countries. 

The son of a distinguished NSW Police officer is among the four people who remain missing. 

Specialist divers are joining other rescue personnel on Sunday as the desperate search for the four missing air crew on board continues.

Parts of the fuselage were among the dozens of pieces of debris that were pulled from the water and loaded onto a barge before they were transported back to land. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the crash was a ‘stark reminder’ there were no ‘easy or safe’ days for Australians serving their country. 

Hopes are fading for those onboard the MRH90 Taipan that went into waters near Queensland’s Hamilton Island after debris (pictured) from it was found

Part of the MRH90 Taipan that crashed on Friday night is pictured on a boat on Saturday night

‘Today every Australian is thinking of the four families of the missing aircrew,’ he said.

‘On behalf of our nation, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues of those who are missing.

‘Our thoughts are also with those that they serve alongside – friends, brothers and sisters in uniform who even now are aiding in the search effort. I’d also like to thank the support from other nations during this search effort’.

The crew are all reportedly from Sydney and based at the Holsworthy Barracks.

‘Sadly at this stage those personnel have yet to be found,’ Brigadier Damian Hill said.

‘It is the defence’s priority to look after those families, their members, their teammates and those that know them,’ said Mr Hill, who is the director of the Talisman Sabre exercise.

‘Our thoughts, and mine in particular, are with the missing servicemen, their teammates and their families, and especially the search and rescue teams.’

NSW premier Chris Minns added: ‘I can only imagine what they’re going through today. It’s just devastating.’ 

Two MRH-90 Taipans were flying in formation at about 11pm on Friday and when the crew of one realised something had gone wrong with the other, they immediately started a search operation.

The disaster happened during the Talisman Sabre military exercises, which includes more than 30,000 personnel, including from the US and several other countries.

The next of kin and the family of the four missing crew members were informed as soon as the search got underway.

Governor-General David Hurley said he had spent time with some of the army members on the exercise after the crash.

‘The impact of this terrible incident is being felt keenly. Each of the four missing ADF personnel made the decision to serve their nation – to serve us,’ he said.

‘We must never lose sight of, nor cease to be grateful for, the service and sacrifice of those in uniform … ‘Those that serve, their families and, especially, the loved ones of the four missing personnel are in our hearts.’

The Chief of Defence Angus Campbell spoke to reporters and offered his support to the families.

An MRH-90 Taipan carrying four people crashed in the Whitsundays on Friday night following 13 years of difficulties with the aircraft (pictured, an MRH-90 Taipan)

‘Defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defence force, are serious. They carry risk,’ he said.

‘And as we desperately hope for better news during the course of this day, we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform. This is indeed a terrible moment.’

The MRH-90 Taipan has a worrying history in Australia, with the crash on Friday far from being the helicopter’s first major incident.

Since the Howard Government bought the fleet of 47 helicopters in 2004 and 2006, they have been grounded several times and involved in multiple crashes. 

The most recent crash happened just four months ago during a night-time counter-terrorism training exercise on March 22.

The Taipan had ditched off the coast of Jervis Bay, on NSW’s Central Coast, at about 9pm after suffering engine failure – reportedly due to old software.

Australia’s Taipan fleet was grounded following the incident but was brought back into operation a little over a month later.

A Defence spokesperson at the time confirmed the helicopters would resume normal flying but with unspecified ‘risk mitigations’.

‘Defence has lifted the operational pause on MRH-90 Taipan flying operations,’ they told the ABC in April.

‘The MRH-90 Taipan fleet returned to normal operations on 6 April 2023, with risk mitigations in place (that) will have minimal impact on planned flying operations.’ 

The Taipan was ditched near the coast of Hamilton Island, north Queensland (above), at about 11pm on Friday night – no survivors have been found

Several industry insiders have blamed the ADF for not knowing how to maintain or operate the European-designed Taipans, rather than the helicopters themselves.

Chief of Army Lieutenant-General Simon Stuart last year told Senate the Taipans cost an astonishing $48,000 every flying hour. 

The first sign of trouble with the Taipans emerged just four years after Australia completed its fleet.

In 2010 a Taipan’s engine failed mid-flight near the Adelaide RAAF Edinburgh air base.

Incredibly, the crew was able to land the helicopter back at the base with just one engine but the incident resulted in the entire Taipan fleet being grounded. 

In 2014 the Australian National Audit Office revealed in a damning report the Taipan’s design and support system was ‘immature’ and had caused ‘significant issues’ to the ADF fleet.

It also slammed the high operational cost of the helicopters. 

The Taipan fleet was grounded again in 2019 after encountering rotor blade issues and a third time in 2020 after crews encountered problems with sliding cabin doors.  

Australia’s Taipan fleet has been grounded five times since 2010 and involved in several major incidents (pictured, an MRH-90 Taipan)

That year half the fleet was shuttered.

In 2021 the Morrison Government began Australia’s move away from the Taipan fleet by agreeing to buy US-made Black Hawks.

The move was part of the AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK and the US announced that year.

The deal will see the three governments working more closely together on a range of defence matters, including production and procurement. 

The Albanese Government followed through on the deal following the 2022 election and agreed to pay $2.8billion for 40 Black Hawks. 

The Black Hawks, whose use in the US Military has been long standing, are manufactured by a branch of US weapons giant Lockheed Martin.

The purchase will bring an early end to the Taipan program which, prior to the 2022 Black Hawk deal, was due to end in 2037.

It is unclear whether the 47-strong Taipan fleet will again be grounded following Friday’s crash.

A Taipan carrying four people ditched into the ocean off Lindeman Island at about 11pm on Friday during joint military training Exercise Talisman Sabre (pictured, a crewman with a Taipan in Townsville for Exercise Talisman Sabre on Thursday)

Saturday’s retrieval operation has been focussed in the middle of the Whitsundays passage between North and South Molle Islands, the Courier Mail reports.

Helicopters were seen carrying large pieces of debris from the site.

Navy fast boats and other vessels, including a boat with a large crane, are also involved in the search.

It’s understood the debris is being held on the warship, Brisbane.  

Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed reporters on Saturday morning and confirmed families had been notified of the incident.

‘We meet with a heavy heart,’ Mr Marles said.

‘Our hopes and our thoughts are with air crew and their families, with thoughts of the search and rescue crews as they go about their work right now.

‘These are early days and much more information is to be provided about this incident.

‘Defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defence force, they carry risk.

‘As we hope for better news during the course of this day, we are aware of the gravity of the act that comes with wearing the uniform.’

Saturday’s retrieval operation has been focussed in the middle of the Whitsundays passage  (pictured, the flight path of one of the vehicles searching for the four missing people)

This year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre is the 10th in the bilateral training activity between Australia and the US.

It was the largest ever, with more than 30,000 military personnel participating from 13 nations including Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, France, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.

The 14-day exercise, running until August 4, tests large scale logistics, multi-domain firepower demonstrations, land combat, amphibious landings and air operations. 

Exercise Talisman Sabre has been paused in light of the accident.

Ofwat approves early start for £2.2bn water infrastructure investment with companies under pressure to cut leaks and river pollution

• Ofwat has approved acceleration of 33 investments by water firms worth £2.2bn
• They include measures to improve water quality and install smart metres

By Camilla Canocchi for Thisismoney.co.uk

Updated: 11:38 EDT, 27 June 2023

The water industry watchdog has given the green light to the acceleration of around £2.2billion worth of investments to reduce leaks and river pollution.

Ofwat said on Tuesday it has approved 33 investment schemes put forward by water companies, which include measures to improve water quality and install smart meters.

The first  tranche of investments is set to begin in the next two financial years, from 2023 to 2025, with projects to be completed by 2030.

Measures to improve water quality and install smart metres are part of the investments

The costs of the accelerated projects has increased from the £1.6billion announced in April, primarily because of two projects to improve storm overflows by United Utilities. 

In October last year, Ofwat and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs invited companies to propose schemes to accelerate investment in water resilience, storm overflows and nutrient neutrality. 

Under the plans, companies are set to spend around £1.7billion to stop sewage discharges at sites across the country and reduce the number of spills.

Meanwhile, £400million will go towards water resilience schemes including the installation of 462,000 smart meters.

Ofwat said these projects will help increase drought resilience, reduce pollution and protect natural ecosystems.

‘The water sector is facing dry summers and more frequent and intense rainfall. In addition, there is a need to significantly improve river and bathing water quality across the UK,’ the regulator added.

‘To help tackle these issues, Ofwat agreed with Defra to allow companies to make an early start on schemes included in existing plans, where they could demonstrate clear need and benefits to customers and the environment.’

The plans are part of the regulator’s efforts to push water firms to improve the UK’s antiquated water systems after being criticised for not doing enough to hold businesses accountable for polluting rivers and failing to repair leaks.

Earlier this year, Ofwat told firms they will be forced to stop paying dividends if doing so put their ‘financial resilience’ at risk, while they will also be required to link payouts to performance.

The regulator is now modifying water company licenses so that they will be required to stop paying dividends if their credit rating is downgraded ‘to the lowest investment grade’, which would indicate their financial health is at risk.

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