Bonus ban for water bosses who break rules with illegal sewage spills

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Water firm bosses are set to be banned from receiving bonuses if their corporations let illegal sewage spills pollute seashores and rivers.

The setting secretary referred to as on water firm bosses to take accountability for “inexcusable breaches” damaging the setting whereas saying the ban on Sunday.

Just final yr, ten water bosses obtained bonuses totalling £2.5 million but uncooked sewage was discharged a mean of 1,090 instances a day within the 12 months to November 2023, based on Surfers Against Sewage.

At the identical time, corporations set out plans to hike customers’ payments by about £156 per yr to pay for investments to stop 140,000 sewage overflow spills a yr.

Regulator Ofwat might be taking ahead a session to outline the factors for a ban which might apply to all government board members and Chief Executives. It is anticipated to return into impact later this yr, topic to the session.

“No-one should profit from illegal behaviour and it’s time that water company bosses took responsibility for that,” setting secretary Steve Barclay stated.

“Tougher action is needed to address poor performance by water companies, which is why I am pleased Ofwat is going further today on bonus payments. In cases where companies have committed criminal breaches there is no justification whatsoever for paying out bonuses. It needs to stop now.”

He added that he can be setting out extra element on additional steps to wash up British waters.

The results of Ofwat’s session will outline key standards for the coverage later this yr.

It might embody profitable prosecution for the 2 most severe classes of air pollution, resembling inflicting vital air pollution at a washing website or conservation space, or the place an organization has been discovered responsible of great administration failings, based on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Campaigners, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have lengthy been calling for the coverage.

Labour’s shadow setting secretary Steve Reed stated: “Once again Labour leads, the Conservatives follow.

“Labour called for the water regulator to be given new powers to block bonuses for polluting water bosses last year. After doing nothing for 14 years, the Conservatives have now been shamed into adopting Labour’s plan.

“But they must go further and back Labour’s whole plan to clean up our rivers, and ensure that executives who are responsible for repeated illegal sewage dumping, face criminal charges.”

Labour has stated that beneath its plans, Ofwat might have blocked six out of 9 water bosses’ bonuses final yr.

Meanwhile, campaigners took to social media to have a good time the brand new coverage. Surfers Against Sewage wrote on X: “We’re winning this fight. Our pressure is paying. Let’s keep it up #EndSewagePollution”.