Labour has called for an immediate ban on bonuses for bosses of polluting water companies, ahead of figures on sewage spills last year.
The Environment Agency is set to publish figures for 2023 for the frequency and duration of spills from storm overflows, which dump untreated sewage into rivers and the sea, usually during heavy rainfall to stop sewers backing up.
Figures for England in 2022 showed a 19% reduction on the previous year, but that was largely due to the year’s below average rainfall, and with 2023 seeing the sixth highest rainfall on record, the numbers could be much higher.
All storm overflows are now fitted with monitors to record sewage spills, up from just 7% in 2010.
There has been rising public concern at the state of England’s rivers and seas, with bathers regularly not able to swim at their favourite beaches due to pollution and assessments showing none of the country’s rivers are in good overall condition.
Pollution from water companies is – along with farming – a key cause of low water quality in the country’s rivers.
Anger has been directed at water company executives being given high salaries and bonuses despite the condition of the country’s waterways and coasts.
Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed accused the Conservatives of being “too weak” to get tough with water company bosses, saying they only launched a consultation on stopping bonuses for executives of firms which allow serious illegal pollution, instead of an immediate ban.
He said: “The evidence is clear. We don’t need the dither and delay of a consultation, we need immediate action.
“That is why Labour will put the water companies under tough special measures.
“We will strengthen regulation so law-breaking water bosses face criminal charges, and give the regulator new powers to block the payment of bonuses until water bosses have cleaned up their filth.”
The Government announced a ban on water company board members and chief executives if a firm has committed serious criminal breaches in February, and said it would come into effect later this year.
The Environment Agency said it is already conducting the largest ever criminal investigation into potentially widespread rule-breaking at thousands of sewage treatment plants.