NINE water companies have been blocked from paying £6.8 million in “unjustifiable” bonuses using customer money under new powers handed to the regulator Ofwat.

Troubled Thames Water was among three firms — also including Yorkshire Water and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water — that were directly blocked from paying £1.5m of bonuses.

The other six companies voluntarily decided not to push the cost of executive bonuses onto customers.