General · 30 November 2025
Water firms face criticism over pollution record
England's water companies have issued £10.5 billion in green bonds since 2017, representing one-fifth of all UK green bonds during the period, despite persistent sewage pollution. Environmental group River Action labeled this 'corporate greenwash on steroids'. Pollution incidents rose to 2,801 in 2024 from 2,174 in 2023, while companies discharged 12.7 million monitored hours of untreated wastewater between 2019-2023. Critics argued in 2023 that the industry is environmentally insolvent, with actual cleanup costs estimated at £260 billion.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs