Thames Water credit ratings slashed to lower levels of junk as default fears grow

S&P and Moody's cut ratings by five notches on risk troubled company will run out of cash

Thames Water's debt rating has been slashed to the lower levels of junk by two major credit rating agencies, piling further pressure on the UK's biggest water company, which is rapidly running through cash and fighting to stave off renationalisation.

S&P Global Ratings and Moody's said the utility was fast running out of money and on the brink of default. S&P cut its rating on Thames's 15bn top-ranking debt pile by five notches to CCC+, taking it into the triple-C category that is considered very risky. Thames lost its investment-grade credit rating in July.