Water industry demands ‘swift’ policy changes to accelerate river clean-up efforts

Water UK has put pressure on government to play its role in improving river water quality and reducing discharges from combined sewer overflows.

The trade body representing the sector set out 10 direct actions that would facilitate and accelerate the work of wastewater companies to cut the number of times CSOs activate.

Previously announced, but not yet delivered policies, would help the sector deliver on its ambitions to improve river health at no additional cost to taxpayers, Water UK said.

These include ending the automatic right for house developers to connect to sewer networks and banning wet wipes, both of which have been pushed for by industry, environmental groups and politicians.

It also pushed for an end to the controversial policy of water companies self-monitoring their assets. In the climate of mistrust, this approach has attracted criticism that water companies could misreport their own performance.

Former chief executive of the Environment Agency, James Bevan, previously admitted the regulator lacked proper oversight due to budget constraints and relied on self-monitoring and reporting of any pollution incidents. Its budget for environmental protection was slashed from £170 million in 2009/10 to £76 million in 2019/20. It has now been partially restored to beef up its monitoring and enforcement capabilities.

The demands come alongside the sector’s plan, comprising actions outlined in business plans for 2025-30, to address overflows.

English companies proposed spending £10.2 billion over five years to deal with 14,187 CSOs. Water UK’s National Storm Overflows Plan includes an interactive map with details of each overflow and proposed actions to 2050.

“This the first plan in the world to set out such a detailed and expansive programme for upgrading overflows right across the country. In just five years, it cuts annual spills into rivers and coasts by 150,000. Our plan halves spills into the most sensitive areas, such as chalk streams, and cuts spills by nearly two-thirds into bathing areas,” David Henderson, Water UK chief executive, said.

“The regulator Ofwat must now back these transformative plans. We also call on the government to deliver the ten commitments it has previously made, each of which is critical for delivering further reductions in overflows,” he said.

The 10 policies Water UK called for government to “move swiftly on” were:

• Review the Bathing Water Regulations 2013
• Ending the automatic right of housing developers to connect to overloaded sewers
• Assess giving water companies the right to repair defective drains on private property
• Ban the manufacture and sale of plastic wet wipes
• Use fines to improve the environment
• Assess environmental harm from highway drainage
• Assess giving water companies the right to improve drainage systems on private property to reduce impermeable areas connected to the combined sewer network
• Assess giving companies the right to discharge clean rainwater back into water courses
• Consult on making water companies statutory consultees on planning applications
• End operator self-monitoring

The actions in the plan are subject to regulatory approval by Ofwat of how much companies can invest between 2025-30. It will publish its draft determinations in May to June, before final determinations that are expected in December.