The Environment Agency has today launched a new consultation on recovering costs for enforcement in full from water companies - following the introduction of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, the Agency is now able to recover additional costs associated with regulating the water industry.
This includes the cost of existing and new enforcement activities which were previously funded by government Grant in Aid.
The consultation proposes a new levy to raise on certain water discharge activities and is designed to recover costs associated with the Environment Agency’s enforcement work directly from water companies. The EA is now seeking views on the proposals from the industry, campaigners and members of the public.
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:
“The Water (Special Measures) Act was a crucial step in making sure water companies take full responsibility for their impact on the environment.
“The increased regulatory powers introduced by this legislation, including cost recovery for our enforcement work, will allow us to close the justice gap, deliver swifter enforcement action and ultimately deter illegal activity.
“longside these reforms, we are undertaking the biggest ever transformation to the way we regulate the water industry. By investing in people, training and digital assets, we are ensuring water companies better meet the needs of both people and the environment, now and in the future.”
The consultation proposes a new levy to raise on certain water discharge activities and is designed to recover costs associated with the Environment Agency’s enforcement work directly from water companies.
The cost recovery powers are set out under the Water (Special Measures) Act and all activities will be in line with the Environment Agency’s enforcement and sanctions policy.
"Making sure water companies – not regulators – bear cost of enforcement action taken in response to their failings"
Water Minister Emma Hardy commented:
“We promised that polluters would pay for the damage they cause to our waterways.
“That’s why we’re making sure water companies – not regulators – bear the cost of enforcement action taken in response to their failings.
“Through the Water (Special Measures) Act water bosses could face imprisonment for lawbreaking and regulators now have new powers to ban undeserved bonuses and bring automatic and severe penalties against polluters.
“Today’s consultation takes us closer to shaping a water sector that delivers real and lasting improvements for customers and the environment as part of our Plan for Change.”
This week, the Environment Agency also plans to consult on increasing charges for certain services due to rising operational costs,. The consultation will cover changes to charges in the Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing Charging Scheme 2022 and the Waste Charging Scheme 2018.
Deadline to submit comments to the consultation is 26 May - the new charging scheme will be finalised and implemented this summer.
Click here to download the consultation paper
Click here to access the consultation online
Sulzer has launched a new global Center of Excellence (CoE) for Water Treatment Solutions - the CoE consolidates Sulzer’s wastewater treatment expertise in a unified and global manner.
“SAS (Surplus Activated Sludge) is a bit weird and 
Owen Mace has taken over as Director of the British Plastics Federation (BPF) Plastic Pipes Group on the retirement of Caroline Ayres. He was previously Standards and Technical Manager for the group.
PureTec Separations, the Ledbury-based water treatment engineering firm, has appointed Dan Norman as its new Sales Manager – Water Process Systems, supporting the company’s continued growth in the UK and international markets.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.