Government confirms legislation on CSOs

The government has confirmed legal duties on water companies to reduce the harm caused by combined sewer overflows (CSOs) will be put into law.

Following support for Philip Dunne MP’s Sewage Bill, the government will create legislation to reduce discharges from CSOs.

The policies will create three duties to oversee necessary changes. Water companies will have a new responsibility to annually publish usage data on CSOs. Government will be required to publish a plan by September 2022 to reduce sewage discharges. Thirdly, it will be required to report to parliament on progress implementing the plan.

Although Dunne’s bill did not pass into legislation, key principles have been adopted.

He said: “I am delighted that the environment minister has honoured her pledge to seek a legislative route to give effect to the main objectives: from the government updating parliament on the progress it is making in reducing sewage discharges, to placing a duty on water companies to publish storm overflow data. Today’s commitment by the government means all the hard work with campaigners and colleagues in parliament over the past year is not wasted and we shall work in the next session to find the best route to turn this into statute.”

The work is part of the government’s agenda to build back better and greener following the pandemic.

“Putting new commitments to improve our rivers into law is an important step forward to cut down the water sector’s reliance on storm overflows,” Rebecca Pow, environment minister, said. “This step is one of many – but an important one nonetheless – to provide greater protection for our water environment and the wildlife that relies on it.”

CSOs have an essential role in preventing flooding at times of heavy rainfall by releasing diluted wastewater into rivers, however population growth and increases in rainfall due to climate change have placed unmanageable and unacceptable reliance on the system.

Increased pressure from environmental and community groups as well as Dunne’s private member’s bill led to a taskforce to tackle CSOs forming in September last year. The new legislation will build upon work of the Storm Overflows Taskforce that includes commitments from water companies to improve an extra 800 overflows during AMP7.

The legislation was welcomed by the Environment Agency and the Rivers Trust, whose chief executive Mark Lloyd noted the success of any plan will take cooperation of the public.

He said: “Delivering a plan will require contributions from the whole of society, in particular landowners, housing developers, highway constructors and homeowners, to divert clean water away from sewers.  People also need to play their part by not flushing oil, sanitary products, nappies and other unflushables down drains and sewers where they cause blockages.

“This concerted action needs to be driven by the government with legislation and funding for infrastructure and public education. We are delighted that Philip Dunne’s Private Member’s Bill, which The Rivers Trust has supported from the outset, has led to this step change.”

Christine McGourty, Water UK chief executive, said: “Water companies are absolutely committed to playing their part in reducing any harm from storm overflows, and that’s why they’re investing £1.1 billion over the next five years on this, as part of a wider £5 billion programme of environmental improvements.

“We’re playing a leading role in the overflows taskforce that’s been set up to accelerate progress, and we strongly support the close collaboration that’s needed across multiple sectors to bring about the long-term change in the health of our rivers that everyone wants to see.”

The Environmental Audit Committee, which Dunne chairs, is holding an inquiry into measures to improve water quality in rivers.

Further consultations are expected later this year into further measures to reduce harm from CSOs.