EA launches record criminal investigations under new water legislation
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), in collaboration with the Environment Agency (EA) and spearheaded by Environment Secretary, Steve Reed OBE MP, has launched a record 81 criminal investigations into water companies in England as part of a crackdown on sewage dumping. This initiative represents the largest criminal action against water companies in history, with inspections into sewage pollution increasing by nearly 400% since July 2024. The EA has conducted extensive spot checks, revealing widespread law-breaking, leading to a 145% surge in criminal investigations since the election. Potential penalties for water companies include fines amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds and prison sentences of up to five years for water company executives.