Home > Press releases > Archived press releases > 1998 > Greens welcome water crackdown
23 September 1998
Friends of the Earth today welcomed Environment Minister Michael Meacher's announcement that water companies would have to invest £8 billion in protecting the environment and improving services.
Environmentalists have criticised the privatised water companies for:
. continuing to pump poorly treated sewage into coastal waters, leaving Britain with some of the worst polluted beaches in Europe
. over abstraction from rivers and streams, threatening wetlands and other key wildlife areas (particularly Sites of Special Scientific Interest)
. providing poor quality drinking water.
The Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate have also been criticised for failing to prosecute water companies in pollution cases, and the courts for imposing inadequate fines.
Commenting, FOE Policy and Campaigns Director Tony Juniper said:
“It looks like the party could finally be over for the water fat cats. The privatised water companies have been making massive profits by damaging the environment.It is immoral for these firms to be shelling out huge pay rises to directors and dividends to shareholders while our beaches are polluted with sewage and our wetlands drained to meet rising demand for water. We're pleased the Government is pushing the water bosses into action. But we still need a new Wildlife Act if our precious wildlife sites are ever to get proper protection.”
For further information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
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