Defra sets targets for PCC, nitrates and phosphorous

A water demand reduction target of 20% per capita below 2018 levels has been formally set as part of environmental targets confirmed by government and laid in the House of Lords.

Cutting usage per head of population by one-fifth, from 141 litres PCC average in 2018, should be achieved by 2037/38, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has insisted. It comes a week after Ofwat stressed the need for greater focus on water efficiency in the next price control, including a £100 million dedicated fund. Both the regulator and Defra have highlighted the importance of the smart meter rollout, citing the statistic that unmetered homes used an average of 40 litres more than metered customers in 2021/22.

Among the environmental targets for water confirmed under the Environment Act was a requirement that phosphorous loadings from treated wastewater should be reduced by 80% compared to 2020 levels by 2038.

Farmers and land managers will be required to cut nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment pollution from agriculture entering the water environment by a minimum of 40% from a 2018 baseline by 2038.

Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey, said: “These targets are ambitious and will be challenging to achieve – but they will drive our efforts to restore our natural environment, protect our much-loved landscapes and green spaces and marine environment, as well as help tackle climate change.”

The targets also included a commitment to halve the length of rivers polluted by harmful metals from abandoned mines by 2038, against a baseline of 1,500km.

The targets were due to be set by 31 October but the deadline was missed by Defra.  The Office for Environmental Protection, an independent arms-length body established to hold government to account for its efforts to safeguard the environment, called the delay “deeply regrettable given that urgent action is needed” but welcomed the targets.

Glenys Stacey, chair of the OEP, said: “Ambitious, comprehensive and coherent environmental targets are needed to drive the necessary changes. We will take some time to consider the final targets in detail now, but as an initial reaction we can see that the advice we gave during the consultation has been considered and is reflected in a number of the final targets.”

These goals should now be used to drive urgent action to significantly improve the environment, Stacey added.

“Targets are there to set direction and achieve desired outcomes. They must form part of clear delivery plans and be given appropriate resources, with robust monitoring and assessment of progress,” she said.

The legally-binding targets to protect and enhance the environment were set following a consultation period.

Governmental plans on how to deliver these, along with targets for land, air and biodiversity, will be set out in details in its manifesto for the environment that it is legally required to publish by 31 January.

The OEP said that plan should describe how government will galvanise the action necessary to deliver the targets, and include interim targets to define the change of pace. It should also clarify how these targets will work alongside other pre-existing commitments.

The OEP will report on government’s overall progress in improving the environment in January.