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UK intends to stop water pollution with tougher penalties, more powerful guideline

Britain will on Thursday set out brand-new legislation to stop public utility leaking sewage into rivers and seas by generating harder penalties including jail time for employers, and providing the regulator new powers.

Sewage spills in the UK struck a record high in 2023, magnifying public anger at the state of the nation's filthy rivers and the private business accountable for the contamination, such as the country's biggest supplier, Thames Water.

The government, which was elected in July, guaranteed it would require the industry to enhance, through, for instance, handing the water regulator power to ban benefits for company bosses.

This expense is a significant step forward in our broader reform to fix the broken water supply, environment minister Steve Reed stated in a declaration.

Under this federal government, water executives will no longer line their own pockets whilst pumping out this filth.

There has actually been criticism that water bosses have received perks in spite of sewage contamination increasing.

Thames Water's chief executive Chris Weston was paid a. 195,000 pound reward for 3 months' work earlier this year,. for example.

The minister stated he would provide more details on his. prepare for Britain's water in a speech on Thursday including. sewage infrastructure upgrades, which companies state is needed. due to growing population and climate modification.

The level of financial investment required to boost that infrastructure. and just how much of that should be paid for by a rise in customer. expenses is the basis of an argument between water regulator. Ofwat and providers.

Under the proposed brand-new legislation, the Environment Company. will have more scope to advance criminal charges against. executives, plus severe and automatic fines for offenses.

Public utility will also be required to introduce. independent tracking of every sewage outlet and business will. require to publish annual contamination decrease strategies.

(source: Reuters)