£250m sewage fines for polluting companies ‘could be watered down’

The Environment Secretary is reported to be backing away from plans to hit polluting water firms with £250 million fines

Therese Coffey is reportedly backing away from plans to hit water companies with fines of up to £250 million for spilling sewage into rivers and seas.

The Environment Secretary wants to look at a “range of options”, although sources insisted the proposal remained on the table.

Ms Coffey’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said water companies “must be held to account” for poor performance and record fines totalling £101 million were handed out in 2021.