Action Needed to Clean Up Our Waters and Rivers

Recent reports about the dumping of sewage into our rivers and waters have shocked many people across the country and in Bristol. The Government had the opportunity to take action against privatised Water Utility companies and make our waters safe and clean once again.

Darren voted along with other Labour MPs to put water protections in place and supports tougher fines and sanctions against Water Utility companies.

You can read Darren’s full written response about rivers and water health below:

Dear Constituent,

People are rightly shocked at the shameful frequency of sewage discharges and the damage it does to our most valued, delicate river habitats. I believe insufficient action has been taken to tighten regulation to stop water companies using discharges as a day-to-day measure when they were introduced for only the most extreme circumstances.

Only 14% of English rivers meet good ecological standards, and water companies discharged raw sewage into rivers over 400,000 times in 2020.

Water should be run in the interests of the environment and consumers, not shareholders. In recent years, customers have faced rising bills while those directing water companies have received multimillion-pound packages, bonuses and dividends. The cost of cleaning up our rivers must come from these profits.

In September, the Government included new measures on sewage discharges within the Environment Bill. I believe these are insufficiently ambitious and existing laws inadequate. Water companies must be incentivised or required to undertake necessary systemic improvements to address the current crisis.

I voted recently to retain the Lords amendment to the Environment Bill to require water companies to take all reasonable steps to ensure untreated sewage is not discharged into inland waters. Disappointingly, the Government voted this down. The House of Lords voted again to include this measure, including coastal waters.

The Government introduced subsequent amendments to require water companies to make progressive reductions in the adverse impact of storm overflows.

I would like to see increased fines for water companies that routinely discharge raw sewage and annual parliamentary scrutiny of progress. I also wanted a specific definition of a progressive reduction and a timetable to achieve it.

The Government did not give these reassurances. I therefore voted against its amendments, as I believe them to be rhetoric instead of a proper plan. However, the Government voted these amendments through.

I support tougher legislation on enforcement and sanctions and introducing penalties for under-reporting, as well as investigating making prosecution for polluters the default when it is in the public interest and there is clear evidence. I think water companies should also be required to contact customers when there are pollution incidents.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Warm regards,


Darren Jones MP