20 November 2024
Responding to Severn Trent profits tripling while they miss water safety targets, Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “Profits and dividends should not be soaring while water company performance for customers and the environment continues to fail. The Government has made strong promises to ensure that polluters pay. It is vital that the Environment Department follows its water review with drastic change in the water governance. That means bringing regulators up to date with the urgency of ecological action, new systems to clamp down on pollution across river catchments, and major public and private investment to restore nature."
Environment groups have called on Sir Jon Cunliffe to make sure the review delivers on the following asks:
- Reform the water sector to prevent companies from prioritising profits over public services and river health.
- Strengthen water health goals, ensuring clear and enforceable plans for cleaner rivers.
- Ensure regulators have enough funding to monitor and enforce environmental rules effectively.
- Secure more public and private funding for environmental goals, with stronger penalties for polluters and greater use of nature-based solutions.
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