New powers could see water company bosses face prison for pollution as Anglian Water announces £884m investment plan for Suffolk and Essex

Why it matters: The dual announcements come as statistics show Suffolk experienced a 97% increase in sewage dumps between 2022 and 2023, with duration increasing by 247% to 26,650 hours across the county's eight constituencies.

The big picture: The Water (Special Measures) Bill would give regulators new powers to:

• Ban bonus payments to water company executives who fail to meet environmental standards
• Impose automatic fines for pollution incidents
• Bring criminal charges against water company bosses
• Require real-time monitoring and reporting of all sewage discharges within one hour

Meanwhile: Anglian Water's newly approved £11bn five-year investment plan includes:

• £110m for environmental improvements to local watercourses
• £33m to prevent storm overflow spills
• Upgrades to water recycling centres to handle population growth
• Infrastructure improvements to tackle flooding and maintain water supply

What they're saying: Mark Thurston, CEO of Anglian Water, said the investment programme would "create thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs in the region" while delivering "one of the lowest bill rises for customers in the UK."

Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich, said: "Raw toxic sewage is being pumped into Suffolk's rivers and sea at a disgusting rate. A nearly 250% increase in sewage dumps between 2022 and 2023 in our county is, by any measure, wholly unacceptable."

By the numbers:

• £884m: Total investment planned for Suffolk and Essex
• 97%: Increase in sewage dumps in Suffolk (2022-2023)
• 26,650: Hours of sewage discharge in Suffolk during 2023
• 700,000: Expected population growth in East of England over next 20 years

Bottom line: While Anglian Water outlines significant investment in local infrastructure, the new legislation signals a broader crackdown on water industry pollution, with executives potentially facing criminal penalties for environmental failures.