Water companies pumped polluting and harmful raw sewage into water sources more than 400,000 times in 2020, according to Environment Agency data.
Late last year, the Rivers Trust revealed that more than half of England’s rivers were failing to pass cleanliness tests due to water companies’ actions.
However, the Government is proposing taxpayers foot the bill for sewage system improvements, instead of water companies.
The Lib Dem ‘sewage tax’ would tax water company profits, which last year reached £2.2 billion (pre-tax), despite companies polluting Britain’s rivers with sewage.
“Pumping raw sewage into our treasured rivers and lakes is disgraceful”
The proposal would be a 16 per cent tax on pre-tax profits, providing a £340 million fund to fix the sewage system – in addition to the current 19 per cent rate of corporation tax.
For example, Southern Water, which makes the most profit in England, would have paid £70 million in 2020.
Thames Water, the company which made £434 million pre-tax profit in 2020, would also pay £70 million in sewage tax.
Pumping raw sewage into our treasured rivers and lakes is disgraceful, particularly when these companies are raking in millions of pounds in profits. The whole thing stinks.
Why should taxpayers be left to foot the bill for water companies which have shown utter disregard for our local environments?
The Government’s plan to introduce a new ‘duty’ on these companies will do nothing to stop them dumping sewage for years to come. We can’t wait any longer. More dither and delay could cause irreversible damage to wildlife and precious natural habitats.