Water companies legally required to cut pollution - DEFRA

Water companies must now publish annual pollution reduction plans, following the government’s decision to make them mandatory.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs) had previously been voluntary, “with only some water companies electing to produce and deliver them”.

DEFRA is now using powers within the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 to make PIRPS mandatory and public, creating transparency and accountability in the sector, it said.

If water companies fail to publish compliant plans by this April, they and their chief executives will have committed a criminal offence.

Plans must set out the specific actions companies will take to cut their pollution, including through better monitoring, clearing blockages and customer awareness campaigns.

“Companies have also been told to identify and explain the root causes of their pollution incidents, to ensure they are focused not just on short-term fixes but on long-term prevention,” DEFRA said.

The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have published detailed guidance for companies on what to include in their plans and how they should be used to cut pollution.

From 2027, water companies also must produce annual Implementation Reports, demonstrating their year‑on‑year progress …