Water and sewerage company performance on pollution hits new low

Latest annual Environmental Performance Assessment shows environmental performance of England’s nine water and sewerage companies has declined.

The Environment Agency has released its annual report on the environmental performance of England’s nine water and sewerage companies.

The report shows that overall in 2021, the performance of the companies fell to the lowest level we have seen under the Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA).

Southern Water and South West Water were given just a 1 star rating, while 4 companies were rated only 2 stars - meaning they require significant improvement.

Since 2011 we have used the EPA, which rates each company in England from 1 star to 4 star, for performance on environmental commitments such as pollution incidents and treatment work compliance.

The latest EPA shows:

• The sector’s performance on pollution was much worse than previous years.
• Southern Water and South West Water were rated as 1 star.
• Three companies (Northumbrian Water, Severn Trent Water and United Utilities) maintained 4 stars, although certain improvements are still required.
• Seven water companies had an increase in serious incidents compared to 2020. In total there were 62 serious incidents for 2021 – the highest since 2013.
• There has also been no overall improvement for several years in total incident numbers or compliance with conditions for discharging treated wastewater.

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said “It’s appalling that water companies’ performance on pollution has hit a new low. Water quality won’t improve until water companies get a grip on their operational performance. For years people have seen executives and investors handsomely rewarded while the environment pays the price.

In response to its annual EPA report, the Environment Agency is today calling for:

• Courts to impose much higher fines for serious and deliberate pollution incidents
• Prison sentences for Chief Executives and Board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents
• Company directors struck off so they cannot simply move on in their careers after illegal environmental damage

Since 2015 the Environment Agency’s prosecutions against water companies have secured fines of over £138 million. In 2021 the Environment Agency concluded seven prosecutions against water and sewerage companies with fines of £90 million, two of £4 million, £2.3 million, £1.5 million, £150,000 and £540,000. Five prosecutions have already concluded in 2022 with fines of £300,000, £240,000, £233,000, £50,000 and £18,000, and more prosecutions are progressing in court.

Read the full article here.