Water Safety Bill

The Water Safety Bill strengthens regulations and accountability for water companies in England and Wales, introducing tougher penalties for pollution breaches and requiring investment in infrastructure to reduce sewage discharges into rivers and coastal waters. It establishes new legal duties for water companies to monitor and report on water quality, and gives regulators (Ofwat and the Environment Agency) enhanced powers to enforce compliance. The bill aims to address persistent failures in water company management, particularly regarding combined sewer overflows that release untreated sewage during heavy rainfall.