Yorkshire is acutely aware of the importance of its rivers, beaches and waterways. The region is blessed with breathtaking natural beauty, of which people living here are right to be proud of.

Yet water companies up and down the country have let down communities with their recent track record of discharging untreated sewage into rivers and off beaches.

The announcement that the government is backing new plans for the water regulator Ofwat to take action against companies paying out shareholder dividends while failing to meet required performance standards is to be welcomed.

Under new powers, Ofwat can block payments to shareholders if “they would risk the company’s financial resilience” and take enforcement action if the payouts are not linked to performance.

The natural environment matters. We must do all we can to preserve it for future generations. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

Any action that holds water companies to account and prevents tightens regulation when it comes to pollution of our waterways is of course positive.

But there is a long way to go for both the industry at large and the regulator Ofwat to go in terms of building trust with communities that have had to put up with inexcusable actions of water companies in recent months.

Serious questions also need to be answered by the Government as to why the country has reached a point where several beaches and rivers have become dangerous.

It isn’t a trifling matter. The natural environment matters. We must do all we can to preserve it for future generations. And when water companies are charging customers for sewerage, itemised on their bills, the end product shouldn’t be pollution.

New powers for Ofwat welcome but trust needs to be restored over pollution of rivers and beaches - The Yorkshire Post says