Thousands march through London to demand cleaner water

Thousands of people have marched through London to demand tougher action on keeping the UK’s rivers and seas clean.
A range of groups, including River Action, Greenpeace, the Wildlife Trusts and British Rowing, took to the streets for for the campaign amid a growing water quality crisis in the UK.
Many wearing blue to form a mass human river, joined by many high-profile campaigners.
The March for Clean Water ended with a rally at Westminster.
Southern Water says it has an ambitious investment plan for the next five years to protect the environment, and improve water supply. The cost borne by both shareholders and customers.
The government says it has launched the biggest review of the water sector since privatisation and it plans new powers to curb bonuses for water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers.
Environmental activist and singer Feargal Sharkey, TV presenter Chris Packham and adventurer Bear Grylls were among those at the event.
The campaign is calling for an immediate root and branch review of the regulator Ofwat and the Environment Agency, the stricter enforcement of existing laws and regulations on water pollution and ensuring all polluting industries invest in upgrading infrastructure, reducing water wastage and leakage and helping farmers restore habitats.
The Water (Special Measures) Bill, set out by the Government in Parliament last month, will aim to give regulators powers to issue harsher penalties to water companies that damage the environment, including severe and automatic fines, blocked bonuses and even two-year prison sentences for uncooperative executives.
A Water UK spokesperson said: “The March for Clean Water is right to demand change and we support its aims. We agree that the system is not working. It is too complicated, too slow and is not delivering for people or the environment.
“No sewage spill is ever acceptable, and water companies want to invest a record £108 billion to ensure the security of our water supply in the future and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
“Ofwat have proposed cutting this by £20 billion. As a direct result, more housing will be blocked, the recovery of our rivers will be slower, and we will fail to deal with the water shortages we know are coming.
“We cannot delay upgrading and expanding vital infrastructure any longer and need Ofwat to reconsider its approach.”
A Southern Water spokesperson said: “We’re preparing to deliver an ambitious investment plan for the next five years that matches what our customers have asked for – improving protection of the environment, and ensuring a reliable supply of clean water for the region.
“Our bills have remained flat since 2014, so we will need to charge more to achieve these goals, but we’ll continue supporting customers who may need help with their bills, and will be increasing that support.
“We’d like to reassure customers that our shareholders have put more money into the company since 2021 than has ever been paid in dividends, and will inject more cash in the next five years to support our investment. No dividend has been paid since 2017.”
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