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Water Bosses' Millions Amidst Pollution Crisis
21 Feb
Summary
- Top water bosses earned over £15 million in pay and perks last year.
- Companies paid out over £900 million in dividends to investors.
- A new drama highlights sewage issues and a family's tragedy.
Top executives at UK water firms amassed over £15.1 million in pay and perks during the last financial year. Concurrently, these companies, many foreign-owned, declared substantial dividends exceeding £900 million. This financial windfall occurred despite a notable rise in serious pollution incidents and ongoing public discontent over escalating customer bills and underinvestment in infrastructure.
The contentious issue of sewage in England's waterways is further amplified by the imminent release of a Channel 4 drama, 'Dirty Business'. This program dramatizes the tragic story of the Preen family, whose daughter Heather died in 1999 after contracting e-coli, a death her family attributes to contact with raw sewage. The drama also scrutinizes the Environment Agency's oversight and Thames Water's precarious financial state.
Analysis reveals that despite public backlash and legislation aimed at curbing excessive bonuses, practices like significant dividend payouts persist. Liv Garfield, former Severn Trent Water boss, received nearly £3.3 million in the past year, contributing to a decade-long total of £29 million. This occurred as pollution incidents in her company's area increased, and following a £2 million fine for sewage discharge. Similarly, South West Water declared a £125 million dividend, though its CEO also recently retired amid enforcement action over sewer network failures. Yorkshire Water's CEO received £1.35 million as pollution incidents surged by 60% in the region.
