UK water firms issue and police their own industrial wastewater permits

UK water companies both grant and police permits letting factories send wastewater into sewers, without direct oversight from environmental regulators. Analysis published 9 Oct 2026 counted 26,000 such permits — known as trade-effluent consents — covering 608bn litres a year, including cyanide and mercury. Companies earned over £340m last year from the system, linking enforcement to income.