A year after Labour environment minister Steve Reed proudly announced a 'record' 81 criminal investigations into water companies for serious sewage pollution,not a single new prosecution has been brought, according to a Mail on Sunday investigation. The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed that aside from seven cases already moving through the courts, no new charges have been filed. Environmental campaigners and opposition MPs have labelled the crackdown 'absolutely unacceptable' and 'smoke and mirrors.'

The 81 probes that produced zero charges

In May last year, then-Environment Secretary Steve Reed issued a press release headlined 'Record 81 criminal investigations launched into water companies under Government crackdown.' As the Mail on Sunday reported, Reed declared that 'with this Government, water companies who break the law will finally be punished for their disgraceful behaviour.' Yet a Freedom of Information request by the newspaper reveals that, one year on,not a single new charge has been laid by the Environment Agency. Of the 81 investigations, 58 remain ongoing, the EA told the MoS.

What the Environment Agency's 'serious breach' caveat really means

In its FOI response, the regulator defended its prosecution record with a curious line: 'A significant or serious breach does not necessarily equate to a serious offence.' This statement, as the Mail on Sunday reports, suggests the EA may be interpreting legal thresholds in a way that delays or avoids prosecutions. Environmental groups argue this undermines the entire enforcement framework. rivers Trust chief executive Mark Lloyd called the pace 'absolutely unacceptable,' noting that prosecutions for serious pollution incidents should not take this long.

The seven cases already in court: a modst track record

The EA pointed to seven cases that were already proceeding through the courts before the 81 investigations were announced. While these represent some enforcement action, they are not new charges stemming from the so-called crackdown. The distinction matters: the government billed the 81 probes as a fresh wave of accountability, but the only active prosecutions predate that effort. As Liberal Democrat MP Freddie Van Mierlo put it, 'The public were promised a tough new era of enforcement, yet a year on not a single new charge appears to have been brought.'

Steve Reed's promise versus the FOI reality

Now Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Reed has not commented on the findings . But the contrast between his May 2024 vow and the present outcome is stark. Surfers Against Sewage chief Giles Bristow called the crackdown 'nothing more than smoke and mirrors.' The EA spokesman insisted they 'will always prosecute water companies for the most serious offences,' and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the government 'has taken swift action to hold water companies to account.' Yet without a single new charge to show for a year of investigations, that claim rings hollow for affected communities.