Our rivers flow with sewage - we need to jail water bosses, says EAMONN HOLMES

In 2021 there were 375,000 incidents - that’s more than 1,000 every single day. The numbers simply beggar belief. A few weeks ago on my GBNews Breakfast show I spoke to a cold-water swimmer who was talking about the benefits behind one of Britain’s fastest growing leisure activities. It’s never appealed to me, but millions of Brits now take part - with many seeing it as the ultimate pick-me-up in the morning.

I asked him what many of our viewers were thinking. That’s how, when dipping his toe in the UK’s lakes and reservoirs, he could be sure he wouldn’t end up drowning in sewage.

“It’s a fair question,” he admitted. “We tend to know the times of day to dive in and which areas to avoid.”

I listened in open-mouthed astonishment at what I was hearing. But I suppose that’s how bad it is out there right now. And it’s one of (many) reasons why I won’t you won’t see me swimming down a river near you anytime soon.

Yet that’s not even the most shocking thing about all of this.

Despite presiding over failure, it appears that running a water firm can be very, very rewarding.

Water floods from my eyes as I read about the salaries paid to these people at the top of the companies charged with keeping our taps flowing. You’re not talking about hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, you are more likely to be talking about north of four million quid in many cases.

Nice work if you can get it.

Now, if these fat cat water-bosses were doing a good job then fair enough. But with our rivers flooded with filth, and leaks at record levels handing out massive bonuses is literally like pouring money down the drain.

Many have suggested it’s high time to renationalise our failing water companies.

I’m not so sure. Politicians, planners, and local authorities have all got their noses in the water trough so I wouldn’t trust them to sort it out.

But Ministers should take note that public anger is really growing over this. I read one poll over the weekend that suggested most Brits would back moves to stop bosses of water companies being paid dividends.

According to the YouGov survey, 80 percent said they would support a law that prevented water companies from dishing out cash to shareholders unless they reduced the amount of pollution they allow.

But as interesting as that survey was, it’s somewhat missing the point. We shouldn’t be debating the pros and cons of awarding bonuses or dividends. We should be talking about why we are not slapping these companies and their bosses with million pound fines.

Local councils are quick to send out letters and warnings when you put a plastic bottle in the wrong colour bin. Yet water execs don’t come in for any flak over the mess and pollution they are creating which causes hundreds of millions to clean up each year.

And if fines don’t work then we should be sending round the cops and throwing these water-cowboys in jail.

In my book, those who continue to show a complete disrespect for customers, the environment and wildlife seriously deserve nothing less.

• Eamonn Holmes presents Breakfast on GB News from 6am on Monday to Thursday