Environment Agency charges proposal: water industry enforcement levy

Under managing public money guidance, we have a responsibility to recover the costs of our regulatory activity by setting charges for the work we do at the appropriate level. The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 allows us to recover all costs directly from water companies when carrying out water industry enforcement functions.

This consultation proposes a new levy on certain water discharge activities carried out by water companies.

In line with our enforcement and sanctions policy, we want to:

• stop illegal activity from occurring or continuing
• put right environmental harm or damage, also known as restoration or remediation
• bring illegal activity under regulatory control, and into compliance with the law
• punish offenders and deter them (and others) from offending in the future

We would like to know if you agree with our proposals and welcome your feedback, as it helps us to understand the impact of our proposals and make an informed decision.