New legislation introduced in the Parliament could see water company executives facing prison sentences for environmental offences.
The Water (Special Measures) Bill aims to strengthen regulatory powers to address pollution in rivers, lakes and seas.
The proposed legislation includes provisions for criminal charges and potential imprisonment for executives who obstruct investigations or fail to comply with regulations.
It also seeks to ban bonuses for water company leaders if they do not meet required environmental and consumer standards.
Other measures in the Bill include automatic fines for specific offences, allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly without lengthy investigations.
The Bill also mandates real-time monitoring and reporting of sewage discharges, with water companies required to publish data on overflows within an hour.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: “The public are furious that in 21st century Britain, record levels of sewage are being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas.
“After years of neglect, our waterways are now in an unacceptable state.
“That is why today I am announcing immediate action to end the disgraceful behaviour of water companies and their bosses.
“Under this government, water executives will no longer line their own pockets whilst pumping out this filth. If they refuse to comply, they could end up in the dock and face prison time.”
