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Open petition: Ban water company shareholder dividend payments if they pollute in dry weather

Created by Ben Martin O'Keeffe
Closes on

Water companies should be banned from paying dividends to their shareholders when they report that they're discharging untreated sewage, either raw or diluted, into the environment during normal rainfall as defined by the World Meteorological Office.

The government has cracked down on bonuses for holders of senior roles at water companies, but we feel they haven't addressed the incentive for shareholders to elect board members who prioritise paying them dividends rather than putting that money into replacing inadequate infrastructure. We believe companies that discharge sewage into the environment during normal weather conditions should not be allowed to pay dividends to their shareholders.

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  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 10 October 2026.