Anglian Water’s chief executive, Mark Thurston, has been denied a £1 million bonus following a major sewage spill that resulted in significant environmental damage. The incident occurred on August 25 last year, when nearly 3,500 tons of untreated sewage were discharged into the Mardyke river in Grays, Essex.

The spill was caused by an error at a pumping station, where an alarm was reportedly ignored and a valve was mistakenly shut, leading to sewage flowing into the waterway for approximately 18 hours. This breach led to the death of more than 4,700 fish, including several critically endangered European eels. The Environment Agency classified the spill as a category 1 incident, indicating the highest level of severity.

Under Anglian Water’s governance framework aimed at enhancing corporate accountability, Thurston’s £1 million bonus was withheld in connection with the event. Nonetheless, he still received a £500,000 retention payment and an additional award amounting to £451,440. Anglian Water confirmed these payments were permitted within the parameters of their pay and performance structure.

The company has not publicly disclosed specific remedial measures taken following the spill, but the incident underscores increasing scrutiny over environmental management in the water sector. The event also highlights ongoing challenges faced by utility companies in maintaining infrastructure and preventing pollution incidents.