Please see below my letter to Thames Water, sent 21st July 2025:
Re: Compensation for residents
I am writing in response to your recent letter about the supply interruption at Pangbourne Water Treatment Works in January 2024, and the burst water main on Reades Lane, Sonning Common, in November 2024.
I would like to thank Thames Water for reviewing the two incidents, and for acknowledging the impact that these had on residents.
I am pleased that the company has agreed to pay compensation to 6,778 households and commercial properties in the Reading area and that these customers will now receive £30 for the loss of water and a further £30 for each additional 12 hour period without water.
This is defined as where water pressure measured by the company was less than one bar of pressure.
However, I believe Thames Water should now go further and increase the minimum compensation to £50 for the incidents and £50 for each additional 12 hour period without water.
This would bring compensation in line with the current rules on compensation, introduced by the water regulator, Ofwat, in the new Guaranteed Standards Scheme
(GSS) standards and payment amounts which came into force on 2 July 2025.
In addition, to maintain public confidence in the compensation payments scheme I would ask Thames Water to publish the total value of compensation paid and the number of households and businesses which have received compensation for the two incidents.
It would also be helpful to know how many households received the initial payment and how many received additional payments for both initial interruption to water supplies and payments for 12 hours and 24 hours without water.
I understand the majority of those affected are constituents in Reading Central, it would help if the company could give details of the breakdown of the affected properties by parliamentary constituency, so that neighbouring MPs could be made aware of any impact on their constituents.
Thank you once again for your help with this issue.