Water companies that dump sewage in rivers and seas will face fines of up to £250 million, the new Environment Secretary has vowed.
Ranil Jayawardena warned water firm chiefs that if they do not do more to prevent effluent flowing into open water, he will institute an up to 1,000-fold increase in civil fines.
It came as he emulated Liz Truss's "That is a disgrace!" speech when she had the same job nearly a decade ago. He said: "In 2022 we still find sewage in our rivers and on our beaches. That! Is! Not! On!”
