# ‘The sewage scandal ends now’: UK water company fines to be used to clean up rivers

Millions of pounds of fines imposed on water firms will fund environmental schemes to protect the country’s waterways after fears the money would be diverted to the Treasury.

The water restoration fund was set up by the Conservative government to ensure that polluting water firms paid for the damage they caused. The fund received £11m in fines and penalties from April 2022 to October 2023.

It was reported in January that the Treasury was looking to keep money earmarked for projects across the country. River trusts have submitted bids to improve and monitor the health of a number of rivers, including the River Derwent in Derbyshire and the River Waveney on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

Successful applicants to the fund will be notified on Monday, with work due to start this year. Projects will focus on improving the water environment in the same regions where the water company fines and penalties were issued.



‘After years of failure, our rivers, lakes and seas are awash with pollution:’ environment secretary Steve Reed. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

 that the Treasury was looking to keep money earmarked for projects across the country. River trusts have submitted bids to improve and monitor the health of a number of rivers, including the River Derwent in Derbyshire and the River Waveney on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

Successful applicants to the fund will be notified on Monday, with work due to start this year. Projects will focus on improving the water environment in the same regions where the water company fines and penalties were issued.

An independent commission into the water sector is carrying out the largest review of the industry since privatisation. Ministers say this will help shape further laws to attract the investment needed to clean up our waterways and restore public confidence in the sector.

This article was amended on 9 March 2025. In an earlier version, an image captioned as showing the River Derwent in  was in fact taken in Cumbria. The image has been replaced.

Explore more on these topics:

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
```