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Environmental Information Regulations 2004

The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 came into effect on 1 January 2005, allowing public access to environmental information held by public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This means, our customers and members of the public can ask us to supply environmental information on any of the following:

  • The state of the elements of the environment and the interaction among these elements; (e.g. water, air, soil or land)
  • Factors affecting or likely to affect those elements; (e.g. radiation, noise, energy or waste)
  • Measures or activities affecting or likely to affect those factors or elements, or designed to protect those elements; (e.g. spend or maintenance)
  • Reports on the implementation of environmental legislation;
  • Cost–benefit and other economic analyses and assumptions used within the framework of those measures and activities; and
  • The state of human health and safety, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built structures in as much as they are or may be affected by those elements.

Please note, that Thames Water is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

If you'd like to request environmental information, email our team or write to us at:

Data Protection Investigations team
Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Clearwater Court
Vastern Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 8DB

We’re required to respond to requests for environmental information within 20 working days. In some cases, an extension up to 40 working days may be required where the request is more complex.

Charges for Environmental Information

We'll make a charge for all environmental information requests. Our charges for the provision of environmental information will be based upon the Information Commissioner’s guidance.

Our charges include:

  • Staff time spent locating, retrieving and extracting the information requested. This will be charged at a rate of £25 per hour of staff time.
  • Printing or copying the requested information will be charged at 10p per page
  • Postage fees will be charged at cost. Documents will be sent 2nd Class post

We'll only start locating the requested information once we have received your payment. Any requests where payment has not been received will be automatically archived after 10 working days after us providing the quotation.

Prior to submitting your request we recommend that you review our website, as we routinely provide access to a variety of environmental information free of charge. Where we're aware that information is already available publicly, we'll inform you of this and no charge will be applied.

If you'd like to review maps detailing our infrastructure and assets you can view these free of charge by calling 0345 263 7332 or contacting us by email. You'll be offered an appointment to visit our public online access terminal. The terminal is located at:

Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Clearwater Court
Vastern Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 8DB

There are a few occasions where we may not be able to meet your request for environmental information which include but are not limited to the following:

  • We do not hold the requested information
  • The requested information is not subject to the provisions of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004
  • The public interest case to not disclose the information outweighs the public interest case to disclose the information

If we cannot provide the requested information, then an explanation will be provided to you.

Disclaimer

The information we provide is taken from the information we hold on our records as at the date indicated. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information and it should not be relied on for any purpose.

Complaints

If you're unhappy with the way we've handled you request for information, or the operation of the Publication Scheme, please get in touch by email or writing to us on the address above.

A senior member of the team will carry out an ‘Internal Review’ of your complaint and will provide a response to you within 40 working days.

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the ‘Internal Review’ you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office who will decide whether we have met our obligations.

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Further information can be obtained by visiting the Information Commissioner's Office website.