The Government has announced that water companies will face the strictest targets on pollution from sewage ever under a new plan to tackle sewage discharges published today.

The Government has described its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan as “the most significant investment and delivery programme ever undertaken by water companies to protect people and the environment.”

The plan will require them to deliver their largest ever environmental infrastructure investment - £56 billion capital investment over 25 years - into a long term programme to tackle storm sewage discharges by 2050.

The plan frontloads action in particularly important and sensitive areas including designated bathing waters and high priority ecological sites.

The targets will mean that the water companies will need to take measures such as increasing the capacity of their networks and treating sewage before its discharged to protect public health and prevent pollution, whilst massively reducing all discharges. Failure to meet the targets could see them face substantial fines or having to return money to customers.

The plan includes a massive expansion in monitoring frequency and duration of discharges, from approximately 5% in 2016, to nearly 90% in 2021, which has been used to hold companies to account.

Under the plans announced today, water companies will have to achieve a number of targets, so that discharges only happen when there is unusually heavy rain and when there is no immediate adverse impact to the local environment.

By 2035, water companies will have to improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water; and improve 75% of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites.

By 2050, this will apply to all remaining storm overflows covered by the targets, regardless of location.

The plan will be reviewed in 2027 to consider whether the Government can go further, taking account of innovation and efficiencies.

It also stipulates that water companies will be required to publish discharge information in near real time, as well as committing to tackling the root causes of the issue by taking steps to improve surface water drainage.

In addition, the plan includes a report on the feasibility of eliminating discharges from storm overflows.

Environment Secretary says "water companies will need to invest to stop unacceptable sewage spills"

Environment Secretary George Eustice said that water companies will need to invest to stop unacceptable sewage spills so rivers and coast lines can have greater protection than ever before.

Under the plan there will be no changes to bills until 2025. The Government has ruled out options which could add up to £817 a year to average household water bills and will continue to monitor water affordability and take further action if needed. It will also consult on a new water affordability scheme to help less well-off households.

The Government said it has been clear that companies cannot profit from environmental damage and supports Ofwat’s recent proposals which would provide extra powers for enforcement action against companies that don’t link dividend payments to their environmental performance, or who failed to be transparent about their dividend pay-outs.

The plan also sets out wider Government expectations for the water industry to ensure their infrastructure keeps pace with increasing external pressures, such as urban growth and climate change, and ensure water supplies remain clean and secure for the future.

Water UK - "companies eady to invest to achieve these ambitious plans"

Commenting on the plan, a spokesperson for Water UK, the body which represents all the UK water companies, said:

“This plan represents a step forward in the urgent collective mission to tackle our reliance on storm overflows and builds on the spending from water companies that’s already underway. Companies agree there is an urgent need to do more and are ready to invest to achieve these ambitious plans.

“Additional action from government, regulators and other sectors could bring greater environmental benefits. Government should close the loophole that allows housing developers the right to overload sewers and also take action on the flushed wet wipes that create the fatbergs that cause so many blockages. A greater focus on keeping rainwater out of sewers, via measures such as sustainable drainage, would also tackle the source of the problem and help bring about the transformation we all want to see.”

Click here to download the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan in full