Water company permit breaches reach three year high 

EMBARGO: 00:01 Friday 9th August 

• Shocking new data reveals almost 700 permit breaches by England’s water companies in 2023 alone
   
• Over 250 permit breaches last year related to sewage discharges when there was no rainfall or snowmelts
   
• Lib Dems call on new government to punish water companies and introduce immediate bonus ban

A new Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats has uncovered a rise in the number of permit breaches by England’s water companies. 

A permit breach can occur due to water companies discharging from storm overflows despite there being no rain or snow, or incidents relating to sewage treatment works.

Permit breaches have increased to a three year high in 2023, with a staggering 695 breaches by England’s nine water companies. The worst offenders for breaches last year were Severn Trent Water (132), Southern Water (108) and United Utilities (108). South West Water also saw a doubling of permit breaches, from 42 to 100 year-on-year. 

The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs also admits that there were 255 breaches over unauthorised sewage discharges last year, an increase of 43 year-on-year compared to 2022. 

Since 2021, there have been 665 breaches related to unauthorised sewage discharges. This is when a discharge of sewage into rivers and coastlines is not linked to rainfall or snowmelt. 

The Liberal Democrats are demanding the government cracks down on water companies who are found guilty of breaching their environmental permits. The party is calling for water company exec bonuses to be banned for any firm found to breach permits. Last year, water company executives earned £51 million, including £31 million in bonuses. 

Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

“This is a national scandal that is only getting worse. These damning new figures show the last Conservative government was letting water firms get away with it to a shocking level. 

“These polluting firms are breaching their permits on an almost daily basis, all whilst pocketing massive bonuses and profits. Frankly, the whole thing stinks. 

“The new government has no time to waste in punishing these disgraced firms. This should start with an immediate ban on all exec bonuses, but go much further with a complete reform of the industry. 

“The country will not stand for this any longer after years of Conservative government failure.  It is time for an end to profit before the environment."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Full Freedom of Information response below. Additional 2021 data provided by Parliamentary Question (2020 results are not used in this analysis due to the Government using trial data)

The data includes breaches for all permits with a storm overflow condition: network storm overflows; sewage pumping station; sewage treatment works storm overflows; and sewage treatment works storm tank discharges.

All breaches refers to all permit conditions recorded under the assessed activities in bullet point 1, including breaches for general management, telemetry, nature of discharge, access to sample point etc.

Overflow Conditions only includes breaches or potential breaches in relation to unauthorised discharges linked to rainfall conditions, i.e. discharges which may have occurred not due to rainfall or snowmelt.