Proposed water bill can go further - campaigner

A group has been campaigning for cleaner waters in Ilkley for years

An environmental campaigner has welcomed government plans to introduce new laws to combat water pollution but called on ministers to make full use of existing regulations.

Proposed new legislation would give increased powers to regulators to tackle companies who pollute and make it easier for them to be fined.

Prof Becky Malby of the Ilkley Clean River Group said the bill was "going in the right direction" but that the government already had laws in place to take action.

Speaking after Environment Secretary Steve Reed outlined the proposed changes, she said: "The regulators really need to use all the powers that they've got now."

The Ilkley Clean River Group campaigns to improve water quality in the River Wharfe, where, according to Environment Agency data, in 2023 nine storm overflows in the area discharged into the river for a combined 282 days.

"You're only supposed to put raw sewage into the river under exceptional work circumstances, that's the current law," Prof Malby said.

However, she said while the term "exceptional" suggested "flooding or storm overflows", in Ilkley eight millimetres of rain could trigger sewage being discharged into the river.

"We want the government to enforce the law as it currently stands," she said.

"Which means be clear what exceptional means and it also means prosecute properly where water companies are acting illegally."

The new Water (Special Measures) Bill will see harsher penalties for law-breaking, with prison sentences of up to two years for executives who fail to cooperate or obstruct investigators.

The burden of proof in civil cases will be lowered so that the Environment Agency can more easily bring forward criminal charges against bosses.

Regulators will also be given the power to stop bonus payments to water bosses if they fail to meet high standards to protect the environment, their consumers and their company's finances.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed outlined his plans at Thames Rowing Club in Putney

In a speech on Thursday, Mr Reed, said: "The public are furious that in 21st century Britain, record levels of sewage are being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas.

"After years of neglect, our waterways are now in an unacceptable state.

"That is why today I am announcing immediate action to end the disgraceful behaviour of water companies and their bosses."

However, shadow environment minister and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore accused Labour of "attempting to pass off measures implemented under the Conservatives as their own", such as banning bonuses for water company bosses whose companies who commit serious breaches.

David Black, chief executive of Ofwat, said: "This bill strengthens our powers and will help us drive transformative change in the water industry so that it delivers better outcomes for customers and the environment."

has been approached for comment.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “In the last couple of years, we have committed to investing a total of £75m in Ilkley's wastewater treatment works.

"This includes a, now completed, £15m underground sewer to reduce the frequency and duration of discharges to the river Wharfe."

Yorkshire Water, earlier this year announced plans to invest up to £60m to reduce waste discharged into the River Wharfe,

The spokesperson added: "We hope this project, which is subject to regulator and local authority planning approval, will more than double the wastewater treatment capacity at the site, and significantly upgrade our equipment.

"We're making headway with a separate £180m programme to reduce discharges across the region by April 2025, which includes projects in the Ilkley catchment, and have submitted plans to Ofwat that outline over £1bn investment in overflow reduction in our five-year plan for 2025-2030."

Speaking in July, Yorkshire Water's CEO Nicola Shaw said once completed the work would meet targets of "one discharge per bathing water season nine years ahead of the 2035 deadline".

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