Water chiefs blame UK government for failure to stop sewage pollution

Under-fire water firms, criticised for their part in the scandal, have pointed the finger at the authorities in newly revealed letters

Water company bosses have blamed UK government inaction for a lack of progress in stopping sewage pollution, newly revealed letters show.

According to data from the Environment Agency, sewage has been dumped into the seas and rivers around the UK more than 770,000 times over the course of 2020 and 2021 - the equivalent of almost 6m hours.