Water Company Fines Water Restoration Fund 2025-06-19

2025-06-19

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Caroline Voaden LD
South Devon
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Liberal Democrat FOI request revealed that Ofwat failed to enforce sewage discharge fines since 2021, despite over 3.6 million hours of sewage pumping into waterways in the last year. Water company executives earned £20 million collectively.
I thank the Minister for her answer on the water restoration fund, but it would be good to know when it will come back into action. The Liberal Democrat FOI request found that Ofwat has failed to force water companies to pay any fines for sewage discharge cases since 2021, despite sewage being pumped into waterways for over 3.6 million hours last year alone. Meanwhile, water company bosses earned a collective total of £20 million in the 2023-24 financial year. The water restoration fund provided valuable funds to local communities to improve water quality and river health. When will the Government stand up to the water companies, make them pay for the damage they are inflicting on our environment, and ringfence this money for communities, so that they can protect and improve their waterways?
I thank the hon. Lady, but with respect, the response was in my original answer. As I confirmed, the water restoration fund is continuing as planned. Successful projects have been notified, and money has been announced and given. As I have stated, all the money collected from water fines will be diverted into nature projects to help clean up our rivers, lakes and seas across the country—and yes, that money will be ringfenced.
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