Environment Agency Set For Stronger Powers On Water Breaches

Water companies that commit environmental offences could soon face quicker and tougher fines of up to £500,000, under new measures proposed by the Government.

A consultation has been launched to expand and strengthen the Environment Agency’s (EA) powers, making it easier to penalise frequent or moderate breaches of environmental rules.

Currently, the EA must prove offences to a criminal standard, making it costly and time-consuming to pursue minor infringements such as some permit or licence breaches. The proposed changes would allow enforcement to a civil standard—making penalties faster and easier to apply.

Secretary of State Emma Reynolds said:

I want to give the Environment Agency the teeth it needs to tackle all rule breaking. With new, automatic and tougher penalties for water companies, there will be swift consequences for offences – including not treating sewage to the required standard and maintenance failures.

The consultation seeks views on:

• Allowing the EA to use a civil, rather than criminal, standard of proof for minor to moderate offences
• Setting a penalty cap of either £350,000 or £500,000
• Introducing automatic, fixed penalties – similar to speeding fines – for specific breaches such as failing to report pollution incidents

Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said the reforms would help deliver “swifter and more appropriate penalties” and ensure water companies take full responsibility for environmental harm.

The measures build on wider government reforms, including blocking bonuses for polluting water bosses, securing £104 billion of private investment in water infrastructure, and establishing a new, single regulator for the sector.

The consultation is open for responses until 3 December 2025:
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water-sector-civil-penalties/strengthening-penalty-powers/

Read the DEFRA Press Release here