‘Hot air’: plans to crack down on UK water polluters dismissed as toothless

Exclusive: critics say stripped-down Environment Agency has not levied a fine in 12 years so no point to higher cap

The government's pledge to raise the cap on the amount of money the Environment Agency can fine water companies for sewage pollution to 250m has been described as hot air", as the Guardian can reveal the regulator has failed to levy any such penalties since it was given powers to do so 12 years ago.

Variable monetary penalties (VMPs) were introduced in 2010 to enable the Environment Agency to directly levy fines for serious environmental offences without having to go through expensive and lengthy court proceedings, but to date the agency has not levied a single VMP against water companies.