United Utilities PLC

The complainant has requested data relating to specific wastewater treatment works (‘wwtw’) and pumping stations (‘ps’). United Utilities (“the public authority”) refused to comply with two parts of the request, on the grounds that it wasn’t environmental information being requested or by citing regulation 12(4)(b) (manifestly unreasonable). The Commissioner’s decision is that the information being requested is environmental in accordance with regulation 2(1) and the public authority has inappropriately applied regulation 12(4)(b). In failing to disclose all non-exempt information within the statutory timeframe, the public authority has breached regulation 5(2) of the EIR. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: disclose the requested information.