A record number of inspections has been carried out at Thames Water sites as regulators increase pressure following a series of environmental breaches.

Spillage issues, such as ones in Crondall, Farnham Park and the River Wey, have prompted the Environment Agency (EA) to step up enforcement.

The EA said it completed more than 740 inspections of the company’s wastewater assets over the past year, contributing to a national total of 10,000 checks.

The figure represents a 140 percent increase on the previous year and forms part of a wider crackdown on water companies’ environmental performance.

Inspectors identified breaches of permit conditions at a number of sites, with the EA issuing more than 270 actions Thames Water must complete to improve operations. Overall, 76 percent of the sites visited were found to be compliant.

The inspections focused on facilities such as sewage treatment works and storm tanks.

Karen Andrews, the EA’s Thames Water regulation manager, said the company had been rated a one-star performer in the latest environmental assessment.

She said: “Our teams have been working tirelessly, completing a record number of inspections to identify where improvements are needed and to hold the company to account.”

Ms Andrews added that water firms must maintain infrastructure in a way that protects rivers and seas and called for a culture where problems are resolved before environmental harm occurs.

The EA said many breaches were minor but still highlighted shortcomings in how sites are managed. More serious cases could lead to further investigation or prosecution.

Inspections have already led to action on storm tanks, with more than 500 surveyed.

Helen Wakeham, the EA’s director for water, said increased inspections and enforcement powers were helping to drive improvements.

She said: “Inspections are a vital preventative measure and will help hold persistent offenders to account and create a cleaner water environment.”