In recent days, I have been saddened by the misrepresentation by campaigning organisations and opposition politicians who should know better, of a recent vote on a House of Lords Amendment to the Environment Bill. I am increasingly concerned about the long-term damage this behaviour has on faith in our representative democracy. We all agree that improving our political discourse is of paramount importance, but we need to ensure that Parliamentary proceedings are fairly represented, without bias, alongside an explanation as to the way our legislative processes work. Failure to do so will only further divide our already fractious political discourse. I do hope that this letter reassures you that decisive legislative action is being taken to end harm from storm overflows and protect the health of our rivers.
I am pleased that the Government has announced that a new amendment will be tabled to the Environment Bill, enshrining in law a duty on water companies to secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. The new amendment will further strengthen the Environment Bill, which already as drafted puts in place more protections against water pollution than ever before. This is a significant step forward to improve the health of rivers.
Earlier this summer, the Government published a new set of strategic policy priorities for Ofwat and the water companies, stating that they must take steps to significantly reduce the discharge of sewage from storm overflows in the next pricing review. This new amendment will make the Government’s position unequivocal in law, further helping to drive action from the water industry.
While similar to the Duke of Wellington’s amendment, this new amendment ensures that billpayers will not be exposed to the costs (estimated to be over £150bn) of eliminating storm overflows but instead puts the onus on water companies to deliver a progressive reduction in harm caused by storm overflows. Unlike the Duke’s amendment, the new amendment balances the need for investment with the need to protect customers from disproportionate price hikes.
The Duke’s amendment also did not come with a plan or contain a workable enforcement mechanism for the new duty it sought to create. The Government’s new amendment, however, will be linked to the enforcement mechanism in section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991, which includes the ability for Ofwat to issue enforcement notices for breaches of licence conditions. This is a critical part of the new amendment. The new amendment will also integrate with other legislation, including new measures in the Environment Bill, and aligns with the draft Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat.
This is all building towards the Government’s ambition to end pollution from storm overflows, transforming our sewerage system which has been in operation since the Victorian Era.
To help deliver this ambition, and in addition to this new legal duty on water companies, the Environment Bill includes the following:
- a new duty on government to produce a statutory plan to reduce discharges from storm overflows and their adverse impact, and report to Parliament on progress.
- a requirement for government to produce a report setting out the actions that would be needed to eliminate discharges from storm overflows in England, including a full analysis of the costs and benefits of those actions. Both publications are required before September next year.
- a new duty directly on water companies to publish near real time information - within one hour- on the operation of storm overflows.
- a new duty directly on water companies to monitor the water quality upstream and downstream of storm overflows and sewage disposal works.
- a new duty directly on water companies to produce comprehensive statutory Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans, setting out how they will manage and develop their drainage and sewerage system over a minimum 25-year period to reduce storm overflows.
- a power of direction for the government to direct water companies in relation to the actions in these Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans if they are not good enough. Outside of the Bill, the Government is also taking significant action, such as undertaking a review of setting mandatory build standards for sustainable drainage schemes on new developments.
Please be assured that I will continue to drive progress locally and nationally, to ensure that water companies and other polluters are held to account. Improving the cleanliness and safety of rivers increasing our area’s biodiversity, which is key to ensuring the long-term health of our natural environment.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, which I hope that you will find reassuring, rather than deliberate misrepresentations and scare stories.