A report 81 legal investigations into environmental breaches by water corporations have been launched as a part of a crackdown. The variety of legal investigations into unlawful sewage spills and different breaches of environmental permits has greater than doubled because the General Election, following a 400% surge in spot checks by the Environment Agency at water firm premises and rivers prior to now yr.
James Wallace, chief govt of marketing campaign group River Action, stated: “It’s good to see the Government finally taking water pollution seriously.” However, he instructed jail time for water bosses remained extremely unlikely. He added: “Criminal investigations are welcome, but regulators need urgent access to courts and, if the upcoming spending review slashes Environment Agency funding, how will it sustain the level of enforcement needed to hold polluters to account – from water companies to factory farms?
“Tough talk needs backing with real resources.”
There is widespread anger over the polluted and degraded state of the nation’s waterways, in addition to rising payments, excessive dividends and govt pay and bonuses on the UK’s privatised water corporations.
Troubled Thames Water faces the very best variety of investigations, with 31, whereas Anglian Water has 22, authorities figures confirmed.
Breaches of environmental permits, corresponding to releasing extreme air pollution into rivers or failing to hold out water high quality monitoring, are legal offences.
The Environment Agency says it follows up on each offence it finds, with essentially the most critical instances, corresponding to unlawful sewage spills, prompting legal investigations. Those may result in executives being jailed for as much as 5 years and water firms being fined tons of of tens of millions of kilos.
Jamie Cook, chief govt of the Angling Trust, stated: “While we welcome this long-overdue focus on inspecting Britain’s failing water industry, it’s meaningful results that our ailing rivers desperately need.
“Court cases must progress with haste and the money raised from fines should go back into supporting the environment through the River Restoration Fund.”
Under new legal guidelines, water firm bosses may additionally resist two years in jail for obstructing an investigation.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed stated: “Water companies have too often gone unpunished as they pump record levels of sewage into our waterways. No more.
“A record number of criminal investigations have been launched into law-breaking water companies – which could see bosses behind bars.
“With this Government, water companies who break the law will finally be punished for their disgraceful behaviour so we can clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.”
A spokesman for business physique Water UK stated: “It is right that water companies are investigated and held to account when things go wrong.
“Almost 99% of sewage and water treatment works meet their permits and we are focused on getting to 100%.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2057957/sewage-water-protest-environment