Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is expected to announce plans next week to introduce tougher fines for polluting but opposition politicians have called for her to resign, accusing the government of 'turning Britain's waterways into an open sewer'.
Ms Coffey's plans also include a six-week consultation examining the possibility of strengthening the Environment Agency's ability to impose sanctions without going through the courts.
Currently penalties and fines imposed by water regulator Ofwat are returned to the Treasury but under the new plans, money will instead be returned to Defra.Speaking about her plans, Ms Coffey said:"I know how important our beautiful rivers, lakes, streams and coastlines are for people and nature - and I couldn't agree more that more needs to be done to protect them.
"Through the Water Restoration Fund, I will be making sure that money from higher fines and penalties - taken from water company profits, not customers - is channelled directly back into the rivers, lakes and streams where it is needed."
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