The company will spend the sum on infrastructure upgrades to avoid paying a penalty to HM Treasury.

A water company has agreed to fund £11m worth of improvements to cut sewage spills across its network to avoid a fine by the regulator.

Wessex Water and its shareholders will pay for upgrades to reduce spills at storm overflow sites, extra monitoring equipment, and to help customers better manage rainwater at their properties.

The company proposed the package to avoid a £10m penalty after an Ofwat investigation found it had failed to adequately maintain and upgrade its waste water network.