Thames muddies the water: Utility giant is fighting a rising tide of debt and sewage, says ALEX BRUMMER

The very mention of Thames Water, as Britain battles through drought with seaside resorts infested with E. coli, provokes an apoplectic reaction.

Thames Water has handed a delayed £1 million (US$1.35 million) “golden handshake” payment to its chief financial officer and agreed controversial retention payouts to top bosses despite its battle to secure its financial future. The stricken supplier, which is sinking under a debt pile of more than £20 billion, disclos

Thames Water is facing renewed calls for it to be taken into public ownership after it handed its finance boss a £1million signing-on fee.

A new CFO arrived last year as the company struggles under billions of debt