Water bosses have been told by ministers they will no longer “mark their own homework” on whether they are illegally polluting rivers, in a shift in how the sector is regulated.

The number of hours in which sewage was dumped into the River Thames has more than quadrupled in the last year, figures show.

There were 6,590 hours of sewage spills in the last nine months of 2023, according to the data from Thames Water, analysed by London's City Hall. It is up from 1,420 hours for the same period in 2022.

Campaigners say 76% decline in riverfly species’ abundance at Cunsey Beck is being caused by sewage discharges.

Discover the failures of the Environmental Agency in the Windermere catchment through an in-depth analysis of a single permit issued to the Near Sawrey wastewater treatment site. This examination uncovers several concerning issues, including unrestricted phosphorus discharges, high ammoniacal nitrogen levels, frequent untreated sewage spills, and discrepancies in monitoring and flow measurement.

Labour says consumers are facing higher bills while water bosses rake in millions in bonuses - despite rampant sewage dumping. Water company bosses have received over £25m in bonuses and incentives since the last general election.

Nine chief executives of water companies have been paid a staggering amount despite dumping sewage in rivers, lakes and seas, according to research by the Labour Party.

Water bosses responsible for illegally dumping raw sewage “should be in the dock” for the damage caused to the UK’s waterways, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary has insisted.

Lake Windermere is a UNESCO World Heritage site but the flow of sewage from nearby rivers has become a grave concern.

Over 36,000 people have signed a petition calling for a public inquiry into Lake District fish deaths.

Save Windermere launched the petition last year claiming that the Environment Agency’s investigation into the death of the fish at Cunsey Beck was not fit-for-purpose and its conclusion that it would not take any action on the incident was not sufficient.

Matt Staniek nominated by Michaela Strachan in County Living’s ‘14 Names to Know for 2024’

2023 has been a whirlwind of a year for the Save Windermere campaign. Since our first event in February, we’ve achieved a huge amount, thanks mainly to our incredible supporters, partners and our amazing team.

We wanted to share some of the highlights from this year and wish you all a very happy new year. We also want to say a huge thank you for making our first year as a community interest company such a success.

We are very proud that Matt has been named in The Sunday Times alternative honours of 2023. See the full list here and read why Matt has been chosen.