According to the latest government data, serious pollution incidents by water companies were 60% more last year.
These are programs to be considered “serious or frequent” effects on the environment by the environment agency, and resulting in loss of aquatic life and risk to human health.
Earlier on Friday, Public Accounts Committee – A cross party group of MPs also published its report in the field, in which the level of pollution is called “condolences”.
Industry Group Water UK, which represents water companies, has been contacted for comment.
The data of events from the environment agency comes ahead of a historic review of the water industry, which will be published on Monday.
The Chairman, Sir John Kanalif, will make the government his recommendations about improving the environment and financial performance of the region.
Every year the environment agency has recorded number of pollution many times such as untreated sewage, assets of water company such as treatment works, waterways of the country.
In 2024, the number of such events was 2,801, most on records, compared to 2,174 in 2023. Of these, 75 were the most serious, causing damage to fisheries, drinking water and human health.
Only three companies were responsible for the vast majority – Tems Water (33), Southern Water (15) and Yorkshire Water (13).
England has a joint sewage system, which means that both rain and sewage are processed through the same system. Last year, the rainfall level was up, which could overwhelm the infrastructure of the water company.
However, despite the variation in rainfall, discharge occurred as a result of severe pollution is a violation of their permits and legal obligations.
Many incidents are informed by the environment agency themselves by companies, but about a quarter of the 4,000 inspections performed last year were in violation of their permit.
Sir Geoffree Clifton-Brown, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, who published his report in the field on Tuesday, strongly criticized the government and agency for not doing more.
He said, “The regulators are overwhelmed by the number of prosecution and are unable to stop companies from working illegally. The government should now work to support regulators and support their efforts to take into account companies,” he said.
The committee said that continuous events are the results of regulators – the environment agency and the ovat – “failed[ing] To ensure that water companies maintain significant infrastructure “.
It was estimated that it would take 700 years for companies to change the entire water main network at current rates.
