After delaying environmental improvement programmes, Thames water was investigated by water regulators in England and Wales.

The investigation comes after The Guardian revealed that the UK's largest water company intends to transfer millions of pounds of bonds to other expenses, including bonuses and dividends.

OFWAT has opened a law enforcement case to the company to decide whether it violates 100 of its 812 plans that failed to implement between 2020 and 2025.

These environmental measures are part of the National Environmental Plan for the Aquatic Industry (WINEP) and include protecting and enhancing rivers, upgrading sewage treatment systems to reduce spillages, reducing the amount of water abstracted from rivers, and improving the safety and quality of designated bathrooms.

Water companies must make it on time as part of their regulatory requirements; if they fail to do so, it means enforcement actions can be taken, including fines. WINEP transactions are a condition where water companies can increase their bills.

Lynn Parker, senior director of law enforcement at OFWAT, said: “Customers have paid for Thames water to perform these basic environmental plans. We show that the water company has not fulfilled its legal obligations very seriously. So we conducted an investigation to understand the delays in environmental plans.” Whether delivery means that the Thames water violates its obligations. If we find reasons to act, we will use our full power to assume the Thames to resolve any failures and ask them to do things right.”

Consumer groups are concerned about environmental plans that were not available, which would have been paid out from water fees, meaning people in the Thames area will have to pay twice.

The Thames has been in trouble for several months. The company faces serious financial problems and whether its current form can survive or ultimately have to rename it.

Matthew Topham, the leading activist we have, said: “To protect the interests of shareholders and creditors, the board puts the safety of Londoners and Thames Valley residents and our environment at risk. It is official and private. Water can only continue to operate through cheating public.

"We don't have to pay again for infrastructure that has been paid. OFWAT must cancel its bill on the Thames and require the minister to bring the company into public ownership so that it is effective for the people, not profit."

Thames Water denied that anyone would have to pay twice and said the company remains committed to its environmental commitment. Thames said in response to the Guardian report that costs such as energy and chemicals (claimed that this exceeds the measure of inflation) have risen sharply, relying on its decisions to delay engineering.

A Thames Water spokesman said: "We have noticed that Watt decided to open the law enforcement case to delay the delayed delivery of Winep7 and will fully cooperate. Customers will not pay twice the investment funded through the customer bill. We have all the plans for delivery of the WineP7 The challenge of elements has been open and the program is affected by the increase in costs, which is higher than the inflation index applicable to our allowances. We informed Ofwat in August 2023. We remain committed to fulfilling all of our Winep promises.”