Thames Water is asking the competition regulator to allow it to charge customers even more over the coming years than had previously been granted. The company has already been allowed a 35 per cent rise in consumer bills over the next five years by water regulator Ofwat,

British water regulator Ofwat said it would investigate Thames Water over delays to hundreds of environmental improvements to determine whether the struggling utility had breached its obligations which could result in fines.

Laden with debt, Thames Water is currently seeking approval from the court for a restructuring deal with existing creditors that would provide £1.5bn in immediate financing, potentially rising to £3bn, to stave off collapse by the end of March.

Thames Water is under investigation by water regulator Ofwat over whether the delayed delivery of environmental protection schemes means the company has breached its obligations.

Thames Water is under investigation by Ofwat after the company admitted it will not complete more than 100 environmental schemes funded by customers. The regulator will look into whether delays to the plans mean England's largest water firm has breached its licence.

British water regulator Ofwat said it would investigate Thames Water over delays to hundreds of environmental improvements to determine whether the struggling utility had breached its obligations which could result in fines.