Fining English water companies for spilling raw sewage will become faster and more straightforward, the government announced. New proposals would introduce automatic fines of up to £20,000 for minor offences and simplify penalties for more serious breaches.
Stricter penalties for repeated breaches
In recent years, monitoring equipment installed by the water industry has shown how often companies break rules on sewage spills. The Environment Agency has admitted it struggled to act consistently. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said the government will now give the agency the power it needs to enforce the law.
“New automatic and tougher penalties will deliver swift consequences for offences, including failing to treat sewage properly and maintenance failures,” she said. The plans will go to a six-week public consultation starting Wednesday.
English water companies welcomed the initiative. A spokesperson for trade body Water UK said: “It is right that water companies are held accountable when things go wrong.”
Sewage monitoring reveals widespread problems
The installation of monitors on all sewage outflows in England has shown both the volume of raw sewage discharged and how few breaches lead to enforcement action. Investigations by national media have identified thousands of occasions when sewage spilled during dry weather and when treatment works released sewage before treating the required volume. Reports also showed the Environment Agency attended only 13% of reported pollution incidents and often relied on data provided by the companies themselves.
The government expects the new system to raise between £50 million and £67 million each year. It also hopes that financial consequences will push companies to improve their practices. If fines are levied, shareholders must cover the cost; customers will not see higher water bills.
Serious offences remain under current rules
For the most serious pollution offences, the enforcement system stays the same. The Environment Agency must take water companies to court and prove guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Convicted companies could face multi-million-pound fines.
The new proposals focus on minor, frequent offences that have largely gone unpunished. Automatic fines of up to £20,000 could apply for failing to report a significant pollution incident within four hours, misreporting spill data, or allowing emergency overflow outlets to discharge sewage more than three times per year.
For more serious but not criminal offences, the government wants to ease enforcement. It proposes reducing the burden of proof from the criminal standard of “beyond all reasonable doubt” to the civil standard of “on the balance of probabilities.” The Environment Agency could impose fines up to £500,000 without going to court.
The reduced burden of proof for some offences is already part of law under the Water (Special Measures) Act, which received Royal Assent in February 2025. This consultation will determine which offences qualify and the appropriate fine levels.
James Wallace, CEO of campaign group River Action, warned that £500,000 fines are minimal for billion-pound companies like Thames Water. He called for higher penalties and urgent reform to stop negligent firms polluting rivers and short-changing customers.
