Rules round cleansing up our soiled rivers and seas ‘could have been damaged but once more’
It comes after years of abuse by failing firms who have dumped vast amounts of raw sewage into our waterways – while fatcat bosses pocketed huge bonuses
Laws around cleaning up our poo-riddled rivers and seas may have been broken yet again, an environmental watchdog has revealed. It has spotlighted possible failures by the government and the Environmental Agency (EA).
The claims comes after years of abuse by failing firms who have dumped vast amounts of raw sewage into our waterways, while fatcat bosses pocketed huge bonuses. Independent body the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) believes rules around improving water quality have been flouted.
It has sent ‘information notices’ to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the EA demanding a response over the possible breaches – to which they have two months to respond. The watchdog’s boss Helen Venn said there is a “need for urgent action to be taken now”.
She added: “We believe there are potential ongoing failures to comply with environmental law that are impacting negatively on water quality today.”
The OEP suspects the Government is putting plans in place which it has little confidence in succeeding.
A Defra spokesperson said: “The quality of England’s rivers, lakes and seas must improve – cleaning them up is an absolute priority for this government. We welcome the OEP’s scrutiny and will work constructively with them on this investigation.”
It comes after the Environmental Agency blamed seagulls for making our oceans and lakes too rancid to swim in.
Water campaigner Feargal Sharkey fumed: “It is an act of gross incompetence, much like its regulation of the environment, to blame seagulls for the failure of water companies.”
EA boss Alan Lovell previously admitted “there is more to do”.
In June the Government banned bonuses covering the 2024-25 financial year for the chief executives of six water companies. An Ofwat spokesperson said: “The new rule on executive performance-related pay is already having a positive impact – we have blocked more than £4m of potential bonuses in 2024-25.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
