Water (Special Measures) Act becomes law - Marine Conservation Society
On 24th February, the Water (Special Measures) Act received Royal Assent – officially enshrining it in law.
The Water (Special Measures) Act was created to strengthen and add to existing legislation surrounding water companies. It was intended to address “poor performance from water companies”, including “poor financial management, water pollution, and outcomes for customers”.
The Water (Special Measures) Act, which applies in England and Wales, covers four key areas:
- A provision which would enable the Government and regulators to block bonuses for water company executives
- A provision which would enable criminal charges to be passed against water companies which persistently break the law
- A provision which would impose automatic, “severe” fines for rule breakers
- A provision to ensure the monitoring of emergency sewage overflows
Sandy Luk, Chief Executive of the Marine Conservation Society, said: "The Royal Assent of the Water (Special Measures) Act is a stepping stone towards a cleaner, healthier ocean. Our efforts to influence the Act have resulted in raising awareness of key issues like forever chemicals, and increased protections for our seas. We’re particularly pleased that every emergency sewage overflow will now be monitored, stronger enforcement provisions will be in place to improve compliance, and there will be a duty to report on the implementation of plans to prevent pollution. We want to see the Government build on the Act’s ambition to better preserve our blue planet, and the Water Commission's upcoming review provides a fantastic opportunity to do this. We need the upcoming review to focus on the pollutants which are damaging our coastal environments – ensuring that they are comprehensively monitored, treated, and tackled at source."
Posted On: 26/02/2025
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