Water company bosses could face new prison time in Labour crackdown on sewage infested rivers, lakes and seas

Water company bosses could face up to two years in prison and be banned from taking bonuses under the new government's first major proposals to crack down on England's sewage, chemical and manure infested waterways. The new Water Bill is designed to beef up feeble regulators so they can take on water companies releasing sewage into rivers, lakes and seas and appease public fury.

The Environment Agency will be allowed to recover the costs of investigations from water firms, in a bid to restore the resourcing and expertise to the regulator that has been hollowed out in the last decade. As funding was cut by half between 2009-2019, enforcement actions plummeted and thousands of staff left, along with their expertise tackling water problems, though the previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak, did restore some resources in February.

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