Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Helena Horton

United Utilities fined £800,000 for taking 22bn litres of water from aquifer

United Utilities' water treatment work in Parbold, Lancashire
A water treatment work in Parbold, Lancashire, managed by United Utilities, which was fined for draining an underground water source. Photograph: Paul White/UK Industries/Alamy

United Utilities has been fined £800,000 after illegally abstracting 22bn litres of water in Lancashire, causing damage to an important aquifer that will take years to recover.

The illegal removal of water from the Fylde aquifer, which happened during a period of dry weather in 2018, is likely to have negatively affected river flows.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.