THE MAGAZINE FOR THE DRAINAGE, WATER & WASTEWATER INDUSTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
making it more accessible to members of the public.
The government is urging water companies to go further and faster wherever possible to tackle sewage pollution. The Environment Secretary recently announced £180m in fast-tracked water company investment over the next 12 months, expected to prevent more than 8000 sewage spills polluting English waterways.
A new portal was also launched this week to make it easier for internal water company whistleblowers to safely report serious environmental wrongdoing by their water companies. Any findings can be used to support enforcement action against companies, if appropriate, including unlimited financial penalties and criminal prosecution.
The EA is already conducting the largest ever criminal investigation into potential widespread non-compliance by water and sewerage
companies at thousands of sewage treatment works. Since 2015, the EA has concluded 60 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies securing fines of over £150 million.
In February, the government announced a ban on water company bosses receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches. The ban would apply to all executive board members and Chief Executives and is set to come into effect later this year.
Additionally, it was announced earlier this year that, subject to consultation, EA water company inspections will rise to 4,000 a year by the end of March 2025 and then to more than 10,000 from April 2025. This will include an increase in unannounced inspections – strengthening oversight of water companies and providing greater assurance alongside operator self-monitoring.
CIWM, ESA, and Groundwork collaborate on survey to drive UK's environmental strategies
Leading industry organisations the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and Groundwork are calling on UK environmental professionals to participate in the annual National Environmental Services Survey 2024.
The 2024 survey dives deep into current practices, challenges, and evolving attitudes towards critical environmental issues facing the sector, covering areas like net-zero goals, pollution control,
biodiversity preservation, and achieving sustainable development. It will gather valuable data that will be instrumental in shaping both industry policies and the national conversation on environmental sustainability.
To capture both general trends and specific insights, the 2024 edition features a series of standardised and personalised questions, ensuring the most relevant and impactful findings on the progress made and shifting attitudes from the past year.
Last year, the National Environmental Services Survey 2023 examined the nation’s most pressing environmental concerns and found a low confidence in the government's net-zero goals and a call to tackle greenwashing. Additionally, it identified funding deficits and economic strains as prominent obstacles confronting the environmental services industry.
Commenting on the National Environmental Services Survey 2024, Rob Mowat, Managing Director of ESS Expo, the organisation spearheading the annual initiative, said: “The UK environmental services sector is making considerable progress towards its net-zero goals and championing sustainability, and we can’t afford for this to decelerate. This survey will help us shape future practises and policies that are anchored around environmental services sector professionals. We encourage all members of the sector to participate in this survey to vocalise experiences, learnings, and opportunities to shape a greener future.”
The findings from the survey will be submitted to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency, with the intention that the insights gathered will directly inform and help shape UK environmental policies.
FOLLOW US June 2024 | 29
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