CALLS to nationalise the water sector intensified yesterday after it emerged that serious pollution incidents in England jumped by 60 per cent last year.

The Environment Agency reported 75 major incidents that fell under categories one and two, which can severely harm the environment and human health.

Serious incidents doubled from 14 to 33 at crisis-hit Thames Water, the watchdog found.

Southern Water was responsible for 15 of the incidents and Yorkshire Water for 13.

Pollution incidents across all categories had increased by 29 per cent, with 2,801 recorded last year. 

Thames Water recorded the most incidents again at 523, followed by Anglian Water (482) and United Utilities (376).

The rise was attributed to underinvestment in new infrastructure, poor asset maintenance and reduced resilience due to the impacts of climate change. 

We Own It founder Cat Hobbs said the figures “are the latest indicator of a water sector in total chaos.

“The roots of this chaos extend all the way back to when Thatcher privatised water in the 1980s — effectively flogging the family silver for a quick buck.

“Since then, private shareholders have stuffed their pockets with gold, amassing £80 billion in payouts. 

“They’ve killed our rivers and let the infrastructure crumble, while bill-payers pick up the tab.

“Recent research shows that the cost of public ownership could be close to zero. This solution could also save the public £3-5bn a year, making publicly owned water a source of income for the Treasury.”

GMB national officer Gary Carter noted that water companies have “been handed record funding through rocketing customer bills,” warning: “If they don’t deliver then regulators need to come down hard and fine them.”

Annual water bills jumped by an average of £123 this year, the largest hike since the industry was privatised.

The latest pollution figures sparked uproar from environmental groups.

River Action CEO James Wallace called them a “national disgrace.”

“Years of Environment Agency budget cuts and weak enforcement have allowed polluters to act with impunity. 

“To make matters worse, the department responsible for environmental protection took the biggest real-terms funding cut in the recent spending review.”

Chief executive of Surfers against Sewage Giles Bristow said: “Government and regulators should feel embarrassed by the complete disdain these profiteering polluters have for their sewage reduction targets — they are laughing in our face. 

“Breaking the greedy grip of profit, which has strangled the sector for 35 years, is the only chance to end the sewage scandal and clean up our coastlines, rivers and lakes.

“This government must now drop the fantasy that the current privatised water industry can somehow be patched up.”

Environment Secretary Steve Reed called the figures disgraceful and a “stark reminder” of how underinvestment and weak regulation have led to sewage polluting England’s waterways.

“In just one year, this new government has banned unfair bonuses for polluting water bosses, brought in jail sentences for pollution, and secured £104 billion to upgrade crumbling sewage pipes — one of the biggest infrastructure investments in history.”

A Thames Water spokesperson said that “last year was a very challenging year for pollution performance.

“Issues with our sewer networks caused a high volume of serious incidents, with blockages being the primary cause.”

The firm however lauded itself for self-reporting issues, saying that it demonstrates “our commitment to the highest standards of transparency.”

Next week, the Water Commission will publish its final report on rebuilding the water system, although ministers have blocked the commission from considering public ownership as a potential solution to the crisis.