The information commissioner has ordered water companies to be more transparent on river pollution to rebuild trust, after complaints by The Times.
John Edwards, a New Zealand lawyer who leads the UK’s data watchdog, has written to 12 water firms telling them to publish more regular information on sewage discharges into rivers and the sea.
“My message to water companies is simple: put transparency first,” he said. “The public has no choice but to use our water companies, therefore these companies should ensure they have every confidence in doing so. The current concerns about sewage pollution have dented this confidence.”
The intervention marks a victory for The Times Clean It Up campaign, which had sought data on the stop and start times of sewage spills
