"Extreme Anger" In The Cards If UK Labor Gov. Doesn't Drastically Overhaul Environmental Agency, Water Activists Warn

[hatrack]

Anti-sewage campaigners have warned of “extreme anger” if the Labour government does not radically reform the water regulator. Sources at the Environment Agency (EA) and in the Labour party have told the Guardian that while Labour had spent time considering reforms of the EA and Ofwat in order to fix the sewage crisis, some stricter options that had been proposed were now off the table.

Campaigners say the watchdog, Ofwat, has been too lax on the water companies and prioritised low bills over spending on improving sewer systems. Last year there was a 105% rise in raw sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas – it was discharged for more than 3.6m hours and this made 2023 the worst year for storm water pollution. Options sources say have been discussed with campaigners, the EA and other stakeholders included merging Ofwat and the EA, giving Ofwat more powers and a policy prioritising environmental benefits over costs to consumers, and giving the regulators more independence from government.

At the moment, for example, the EA shares a press office with Defra and its communications are directed by ministers, which makes it difficult to take long-term actions that the government could think too politically damaging, or to hold the government to account. The EA faced steep funding cuts under Conservative government austerity which has made it difficult for the regulator to enforce environmental laws. Proposals to increase its funding will not be taken forward, the Guardian has been told.

Now policies that campaigners say are less ambitious have emerged and include working with the EA to stop water company self-monitoring for sewage spills – an initiative that was already happening under the Conservative government – and writing to Ofwat to ask them to make sure funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment.

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/14/activists-warn-of-extreme-anger-if-ministers-fail-to-reform-water-regulator