Record number of probes into water sector criminality

A record” 81 criminal investigations into environmental breaches by water firms have been launched as the government attempts to show it is getting to grips with the troubled sector.

- EMILY BEAMENT

The number of criminal investigations into illegal sewage spills and other breaches of environmental permits has more than doubled since the general election, following a 400 per cent surge in spot checks at water company premises and rivers by the Environment Agency in the past year.

Environment secretary Steve Reed said the government will ensure that “water companies who break the law will finally be punished for their disgraceful behaviour” as part of efforts to clean up England’s rivers, lakes and seas.

It comes amid widespread anger over the polluted and degraded state of the country’s waterways, as well as rising bills, high dividends, and high executive pay and bonuses at the UK’s privatised water firms.

Environmental campaigners said it was good to see the government taking water pollution seriously, but warned that potential cuts at the Environment Agency in the spending review would prevent it from holding polluters to account.

Troubled utility Thames Water has the highest number of investigations against it, with 31, while Anglian Water has 22, government figures show. Breaches of environmental permits, such as releasing excessive pollution into rivers or failing to carry out water quality monitoring, are criminal offences.