A Suffolk river water campaigner has welcomed a government agency's plans to appoint new officers focused on water company regulation in the east of England.

The Environment Agency is hoping to have 30 new officers in post by the end of the year, which will increase the number of inspections.

Water company Anglian Water, which supplies the region, has come under fire for missing performance targets in relation to reducing pollution, leaks and supply interruptions.

In October, this newspaper reported how industry regulator Ofwat had ordered the company to refund customers £38.1million due to its failings.

The firm has also been given a two-star rating by the Environment Agency following hundreds of pollution incidents.

Ruth Leach, co-founder of campaign group Save the Deben, which aims to improve water quality in the Deben, said: “This is extremely good news and long overdue. Minor pollution incidents are not reported, although they still affect and can impact on public health.

“So, we are pleased that there's going to be increased inspections and enforcement that will protect Woodbridge as it is not a designated bathing status area.”

Marcus Sibley, the agency's regulation manager for the east, added: “We share the public’s frustration about the levels of sewage in our waterways.

"Water company performance is not good enough and we are committed to crack down on non-compliance.

“More boots on the ground is a significant part of how we are enhancing the way we regulate the water sector.

“Nationally, over the next three years, we’re spending £15.8 million on improving water company enforcement and investing around £15 million on enhancing our digital systems and tools to help identify the cause of issues, not just the symptom.  

“Taking this action will allow us to bring about a change in performance from the water industry that we all want to see.”