Thames Water boss steps down after giving up bonus over company's environmental performance
27 June 2023, 17:13
The chief executive of Thames Water has resigned with immediate effect, after giving up her bonus last month over her company's poor environmental performance.
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The company said that Sarah Bentley would continue to support her interim replacement until the company found a full-time replacement.
Thames Water is among several water companies that has come under fire for discharging raw sewage off the UK coast
The company has also suffered from persistent pipe leaks. Its leakage rate is running at a five-year high.
Ms Bentley, who was appointed in 2020, said in May that she would give up her bonus after the company's environmental and customer performance suffered.
Read more: Water company says bills will go up as firms plan £10bn fix to clean up UK's sewage mess
But she still managed to make double her previous pay, with her £1.5 million salary dubbed a "golden hello" as she moved from Severn Trent.
At the time Gary Carter, a national officer at the GMB union, said that Ms Bentley's plan to give up the bonus was "nothing more than a flimsy PR stunt".
On Tuesday chairman Ian Marchant said: "I want to thank Sarah for everything she has done since joining the company in 2020, building a first class executive team and leading the first phase of the turnaround of the company.
"On behalf of everyone at Thames, the board wishes her every success for the future."
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Ms Bentley said: "It has been an honour to take on such a significant challenge, and a privilege to serve Thames Water's dedicated and inspirational colleagues.
"The foundations of the turnaround that we have laid position the company for future success to improve service for customers and environmental performance.
"I wish everyone involved in the turnaround the very best."
In May, water companies apologised for not acting quickly enough to tackle sewage spills as they announced the biggest modernisation of sewers "since the Victorian era".
Water UK said plans for the largest ever investment in sewage networks will cut overflows by up to 140,000 each year by 2030, compared to the level in 2020.
Environment Agency figures earlier this year showed there were a total of 301,091 sewage spills in 2022, an average of 824 a day.
The organisation said "£10 billion - more than triple current levels" is ready to be invested, "enabling the biggest modernisation of sewers since the Victorian era, and the most ambitious programme on sewage spills in the world".
Companies will be able to improve their sewer networks and treat overflow spills with less impact on rivers and seas under plans set to be unveiled in full this summer.
An independent data hub to inform the public of overflows and the rolling out of new swimming areas is also planned.
