Up to 11m in water company fines to be reinvested [Video]

Up to £11m in water company fines is to be reinvested into schemes that improve waterways and wetlands under a fund launched by the government.

The Water Restoration Fund has opened for applications and will offer grants to local groups and charities, farmers and landowners to improve rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and access to nature in England in areas where illegal pollution has occurred.

It is being funded by fines and penalties levied on water companies for environmental breaches, such as dumping sewage from treatment plants, which have been ringfenced for improving the water environment since April 2022.

It is the latest move by the government to crack down on water company pollution in the face of growing public anger over the state of England’s rivers and coastal waters.