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# New powers could see water company bosses face prison for pollution as Anglian Water announces £884m investment plan for Suffolk and Essex
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/new-powers-could-see-water-company-bosses-face-prison-for-pollution/
- Published: 2024-12-19T10:36:31.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T15:27:06.000Z
- Description: Water company executives who allow sewage pollution could face prison sentences under new legislation introduced to Parliament, announced on the same day Anglian Water received approval for its £884m investment plan for Suffolk and Essex.
- Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams
- Tags: News, Utilities, Our Environment, #article, Anglian Water, Jack Abbott, #Import 2026-03-16 14:45

**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

![Picture of an Anglian Water van](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/03/1719308326-anglian-water-van-7.jpg)

Water company executives who allow sewage pollution could face prison sentences under new legislation (Anglian Water)

**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.

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