New Measures In Force To Address Illegal Sewage Spill Cover-Ups
As of April 25th, water company bosses found to have covered up illegal sewage spills could face up to two years in prison, with new powers brought into force to ensure that rivers, lakes and seas are cleaned up once and for all.
Since privatisation of the sector was introduced back in 1989, no prison sentences have been handed to executives, despite the now much-publicised widespread illegal sewage discharges that have been taking place.
These new tougher penalties were deemed necessary because some utility companies have been obstructing investigations and failing to deliver essential evidence relating to these discharges, actions that have prevented crackdowns against those breaking the law.
The measures have been delivered as part of the government’s Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, with the hope being that this new threat of imprisonment will serve as the deterrent that’s been missing thus far, while water companies also take steps to invest in infrastructure upgrades.
Additionally, other measures have been put in place to ensure that polluters pay for the cost of criminal investigations into illegal discharges and cover-ups, with authorities now able to recover the costs of enforcement activities.
Furthermore, water executive bonus payments will also be banned if high standards to protect the environment, customers and company finances are not met.
Tougher enforcement is being complemented by other water sector reforms, including the securing of £104 billion of private sector investment to upgrade and build new water infrastructure across the UK, as well as supporting the construction of 1.5 million new homes, creating thousands of job opportunities and driving new industries forward, such as data centres and gigafactories.
Commenting on this latest development, Philip Duffy – chief executive of the Environment Agency – said: “The Water (Special Measures) Act was a crucial step in making sure water companies take full responsibility for their impact on the environment.
“The tougher powers we have gained through this legislation will allow us, as the regulator, to close the justice gap, deliver swifter enforcement action and ultimately deter illegal activity.
“Alongside this, we’re modernising and expanding our approach to water company inspections – and it’s working. More people, powers, better data and inspections are yielding vital evidence so that we can reduce sewage pollution, hold water companies to account and protect the environment.”
Sewage discharge shock
Despite the fact that sewage discharges have been hitting the headlines with increasing regularity over the last few years and despite the fact that there has been significant public outcry over the scandal, it seems that these new tougher penalties are still necessary to ensure that water companies do the right thing.
Environment Agency figures for protecting bathing spots in 2024 – seen by the Independent – show that out of the 451 sites in England, 37 are now rated as power (the lowest category), containing unsafe levels of potentially deadly bacteria (including intestinal enterococci and E coli) that have built up because of sewage spills.
In April, over 6,000 sewage discharges took place across England, Scotland and Wales, with alerts issued by campaigners Surfers Against Sewage at 157 beaches.
And last year, water companies across England reported 2,487 pollution incidents, a 30 per cent increase and the highest number in ten years… despite the Environment Agency’s ambition to reduce sewage spills.
The latest agency figures, taken from March, showed that storm overflows discharged sewage into rivers, lakes and streams, and along coastlines, for over 3.61 million hours in 2024.
Labour MP Clive Lewis recently introduced a private member’s bill to Parliament, with the aim being to clean up waterways in the UK through nationalisation.
He was quoted by the news source as saying: “The shocking deterioration of Britain’s waterways is deeply troubling and can no longer be ignored. While water companies continue to hand billions to shareholders, our rivers, seas and lakes are suffering severe pollution, causing illness among the public and harming wildlife.”
Mr Lewis responded to criticism that his own government’s approach to the issue has been inadequate, saying that greater transparency and accountability are needed, as well as public ownership for water companies.
A spokesperson from the Environment Agency noted that the current pollution levels are unacceptable, adding that water companies are now required to produce annual plans to show how they intend to meet expectations of reducing pollution incidents by 40 per cent.
What can businesses do?
While there isn’t much that businesses can do to prevent sewage discharges, there are steps they can take to reduce pressure on the network and safeguard supplies for future generations.
Raising awareness of what can and can’t be flushed down the drains at work can be beneficial, helping to protect infrastructure and ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose.
Being aware of the pollution and waste that’s created through your own business operations can also help improve water quality, so this could be a good area to focus on.
If you’d like to find out more about how to become more water efficient and operate more sustainably now and into the future, get in touch with the Switch Water Supplier team today.