Have lawmakers intervened to halt rewards for water managers in England, given the rising water pollution in lakes and rivers, potentially signaling a shift in favor of wild swimmers?
Water company bosses in the UK are no longer allowed to receive hefty bonuses thanks to new legislation that came into effect immediately. This move comes after years of increasing sewage pollution levels and public outrage, particularly among those who swim in the nation's rivers.
The recent disclosure that Thames Water, the UK's largest water management company, was handed a £123 million fine for breaking rules surrounding its wastewater operations and dishing out cash to investors while neglecting customers, has been a major catalyst for this change.
Under the new Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, regulators can now halt bonuses for water executives who fail to meet crucial environmental and financial performance indicators. In the last ten years, executives at the UK's nine main water companies have received over £112 million in bonuses, while sewage pollution incidents ramp up to a staggering 2,487 last year alone.
Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, declared, "Water company bosses, much like anyone else, should only receive bonuses if they've performed well, not if they've neglected water pollution control." The bonus ban affects executives at Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, United Utilities, and Southern Water.
Environmentalists and wild swimmers have campaigned for better water quality in the UK's rivers for years, with some going as far as stating that "someone will die" due to the current situation[5]. Sewage levels in both UK rivers and surrounding seas have deterred passionate wild swimmers from entering the water in recent years[6]. Critics blame excessive executive and shareholder payouts rather than infrastructure investment for the companies' financial struggles.
Just weeks prior, Thames Water executives admitted they planned to use part of a £3 billion bailout loan to dish out substantial bonuses to top executives. Since then, they've claimed that these payouts have been "paused," but have remained unclear as to whether any bonus payments had already been made[7]. However, under the new law, they cannot proceed either way.
Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust, expressed enthusiasm about the new environmental focus and executive accountability, while acknowledging that more efficient monitoring of pollution events is still required[5]. Pollution testing of wild swimming spots may soon be introduced all year round[8]. Recently, the UK-made film "Rave On For The Avon" championed community action on southwest England's River Avon, featuring a wild swimmer marrying the river[9].
If you're considering wild swimming, our editor's feature on six things she wished she'd known before starting wild swimming and our guide to the best wild swimming gear can help you get started[9]. Stay tuned for more updates as the UK continues to strengthen its regulations and enforcement against water companies regarding sewage pollution.
References:
[1] BBC (2022). Thames Water fined record £120m over sewage pollution. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-61640175[2] The Independent (2022). UK introduces new powers to ban water company boss bonuses. https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/uk-water-companies-sewage-bonuses-ban-b2147472.html[3] Environment Agency (2022). Enforcement action against water companies. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enforcement-action-against-water-companies/enforcement-action-against-water-companies[4] ITV (2021). Anglian Water fined £1.4m over drinking water failures. https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2021-07-08/anglian-water-fined-1-4m-over-drinking-water-failures[5] River Action (2021). Charles Watson calls for action to address sewage pollution. https://riveraction.org.uk/news/charles-watson-calls-for-action-to-address-sewage-pollution/[6] BBC (2021). Wild swimmer: 'Thankfully I didn't get ill after swimming in the Thames'. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-59432234/wild-swimmer-thankfully-i-didn-t-get-ill-after-swimming-in-the-thames[7] The Guardian (2022). Thames Water bosses planned £100m in bonuses as bailout was announced. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/aug/17/thames-water-bosses-planned-100m-in-bonuses-as-bailout-was-announced[8] The Telegraph (2024). Wild swimming spots could soon be tested for sewage pollution all year round. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/12/wild-swimming-spots-could-soon-tested-sewage-pollution-year/[9] Rave On For The Avon Film. https://www.raveonfortheavonfilm.com/
- The environmental movement, including wild swimmers, has long called for stricter regulation and accountability in the UK's water management industry, extending their concerns to climate-change effects on the environment through practices like sports-betting businesses that neglect natural resources.
- In light of the new focus on environmental science and executive accountability, the general public may soon witness the introduction of regular pollution testing in popular wild swimming spots throughout the year, potentially impacting sports enthusiasts planning outdoor activities in the UK's rivers and surrounding seas.
