Thames tap water 'is the best'

Tap water taken from the Thames is better than that provided by the other major water and sewage company in the country, it has been revealed.

Speaking at the launch of its annual quality report earlier this week, the Drinking Water Inspectorate said drinking water supplied by Thames Water in 2008 was 99.99 per cent compliant with national and European standards, the Oxford Mail reports.

This represents Thames Water's "best-ever performance".

David Owens, chief executive of the company, told the newspaper: "Substantial investment to improve drinking water quality, funded by customers' bills, is paying off.

"This is reflected in our outstanding results. We plan to continue our investment programme."

In related news, Thames Water was recently presented with an award for its London on Tap campaign, which is aimed at encouraging people to ask for tap water when dining out, rather than opting for expensive bottled varieties.

Written by Lauren Steadman