The Government has brought in new measures in the Environment Bill to tackle storm overflows with a new requirement for water companies to monitor the water quality impacts of their sewage discharges and publish the information.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says that new strengthened Government commitments made today in amendments to the Environment Bill currently progressing through Parliament will protect the environment for future generations.

Defra said that today’s announcement will support the delivery of the 25 Year Environment Plan and is part of the Government’s commitment to tackle the twin threat of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Following work with parliamentarians and wider stakeholders, new amendments tabled yesterday (26/08) include strengthening the duty to set a legally-binding target to halt species decline by 2030.

New measures will also tackle storm overflows through a new requirement for water companies to monitor the water quality impacts of their sewage discharges and publish this information.

This monitoring will drive action by water companies to reduce sewage discharges that do the most harm, to better protect the environment and public health. Water companies will also be required to publish near real-time information on when their storm overflows operate.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the new package of measures on storm overflows will help crack down on the pollution in our rivers, waterways and coastlines, to better tackle the harm that they cause.

The Environment Bill will bring forward action to address environmental challenges including biodiversity loss, climate change, waste and pollution of the air, water and land.

The amendments will:

• Strengthen the legal language of the Government’s new target to ‘halt the decline in species abundance by 2030’
• Place duties on water companies to monitor the water quality impact of their sewage discharges and to publish this data, as well as a duty to provide near real-time information on when storm overflows operate
• Introduce a duty to require the Government to publish a report considering the costs and benefits of eliminating overflows entirely which will inform Government decision-making in this area.
• Bring in a further safeguard for the independence of the new Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) by requiring greater parliamentary scrutiny of any guidance issued to the OEP.
• Introduce Statutory guidance for local planning authorities to explain how they should take into account new Local Nature Recovery Strategies, to embed strategies for the environment and nature’s recovery into their planning systems.
• Create a duty and power to allow the Secretary of State to review, and increase if appropriate, the minimum duration for which new biodiversity gain sites must be secured.
• Bring in additional technical amendments to support swifter and more effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility measures which will allow for future schemes to appoint scheme administrators through regulations - saving time and money.
• Accept all the recommendations of the House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (DPRRC), which will ensure appropriate scrutiny of those provisions by Parliament

Separately, the Government will also undertake a review of legislation which would require Sustainable Drainage Systems to be constructed to ministerial standards on new developments, which would reduce the pressure on the sewage system.

This type of “blue-green” infrastructure can deliver a number of benefits – it can prevent water entering foul sewers; reduce surface flooding; improve biodiversity, and improve associated carbon emissions.

EAC welcomes amendments on storm overflows - "there must be no excuse for illegal sewage spills”

Commenting on the Government’s new amendments to the Environment Bill relating to storm overflows, Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said:

"I welcome the latest Government amendments to the Environment Bill on storm overflows. These provisions could be a large step forward, building on some of the measures proposed in my Private Members Bill last year, to improve transparency, biodiversity and water quality. During the Committee's inquiry into water quality, we have heard horror stories of unreported discharges into rivers from waste water treatment works. This requirement on sewerage companies to monitor continuously and report in near real time on water quality upstream and downstream, can help to identify problem areas much more quickly.

"There must be no excuse for illegal sewage spills. Another welcome amendment helps prepare the ground for eliminating overflows entirely. Water companies have a responsibility to protect our precious waterways that are so often plagued with unacceptable pollution threatening wildlife and human health. The amendments today may also increase protections for recreational water users: properly implemented, EDM real time data can make it possible for people to see whether it is safe to swim.

"The Committee's inquiry continues, and we expect to examine the Government's proposals in greater detail when we question the DEFRA Minister responsible in September."

Rivers Trust - amendments tabled will bring in “unprecedented levels of transparency” from water and sewage companies

According to The Rivers Trust, an amendment tabled by Lord Goldsmith will bring in “unprecedented levels of transparency” from water and sewage companies regarding sewage discharges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and storm overflows. Currently only published as an annual summary, the amendment requires companies to report in real-time on the location and duration of spills.

A further amendment, also tabled by Lord Goldsmith, will require them to monitor water quality in receiving water bodies upstream and downstream where CSOs and treated effluent are discharged.

David Johnson, Technical Director at The Rivers Trust, said:

“Reliable, near-real-time reporting of discharges from CSOs and storm overflows is a big step forward as it will allow river users to make more informed decisions about the impacts of sewage on their health. It will also allow the water industry, regulator, and communities to see where the existing sewer infrastructure is badly in need of improvement. Climate change will make this situation worse, so we need to act now.”

Mark Lloyd, CEO of the Rivers Trust, added:

“The first step towards clean and healthy rivers is a shared understanding of the source and impact of pollutants. This amendment will give us a lot more information to develop that understanding and make informed decisions about how to manage the problems. The next step is a very significant investment in modernising our drainage infrastructure and widespread deployment of nature based solutions to reduce the peak volumes of surface water.”