Water companies could soon face unlimited fines for dumping sewage into rivers and the sea, under new government plans expected to be announced in the coming days. The current cap on penalties for such releases of untreated waste is £250,000, but ministers want to lift this in order to better protect human health and ecosystems.
Official figures have revealed that an average of 825 sewage spills occurred every day in England’s waterways last year, representing a 19% decrease from 2021. However, the Environment Agency (EA) attributed this drop mainly to drier weather, rather than the actions of water companies.
Under these new plans, money will be taken from water company profits and invested into improving water quality and natural habitats. Currently, such money goes to the Treasury, but the government wants it to be funnelled to Defra instead.
Charles Watson, chairman and founder of River Action, said that removing the cap on fines may mean the government “has finally woken up to the huge public outrage to what’s happened to our rivers”. He also questioned how the water restoration fund would be enforced, noting that environmental protection through the EA had suffered cutbacks.
The Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is expected to stress that she understands the need for protecting our waterways, and that regulators should have the powers and tools to take tough action against companies that are breaking the rules.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that his party would commit to “real action” on the issue if it won power, while the Liberal Democrats have called on Ms Coffey to resign over the figures. The Green Party has argued that water companies should face greater accountability.
It is hoped that by lifting the cap on fines and investing money into water restoration projects, the government will be able to better protect our rivers, lakes, streams and coastlines from sewage pollution.