In an urgent question in the House this week I questioned then, Secretary of State for the Environment, on DEFRA better explaining the action being taken on sewage pollution and water quality how we can play our part on on environmental actions. We are still in a hose pipe ban and this resource remains very precious despite the downpours. As Sussex MPs we jointly continue to engage with the water company and make sure the long term decisions and investments are being made to deliver the service we all need at an affordable price.
This is a very important issue and I am keen to allay peoples’ concerns and increase awareness on what action is being taken and what we can do ourselves too.
The human waste that needs to be dealt with differently due to the historic Victorian sewage system is created by us all and we are all having an impact on the aged water systems.
But some other irresponsible behaviour needs stamping out such as the flushing of wet wipes and other items that go into or systems that are dealt with at water treatment works. A trip to the treatment works makes the mind boggle and should be a must for those who think wet wipes go anywhere but the bin!!
Following a public consultation the Government published the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan which was laid before Parliament earlier this week. The new plan will start the largest investment in infrastructure ever undertaken by the water industry, an estimated £56 billion of investment making significant impact and the changes need over the next few years.
Monitoring of storm overflows is being increased, which is why we are more acutely aware of this issue than ever before. By next year, 100% of storm overflows will be required to have monitors fitted-in 2016, only 5% of storm overflows were monitored.
We will continue to hold water companies to account and they will not be allowed to get away with illegal activity. Under the landmark Environment Act, it is now a legal requirement for companies to provide discharge data to the Environment Agency and make it available to the public in near real time-within the hour.
Significant action is being taken and this is the first Government to set a clear requirement for water companies to reduce the harm caused by sewage discharges.
Finally, there are small steps and important that we as individuals can take to make a difference, to save water and protect its quality-such as not flushing wet wipes or other objects down the loo and not flushing unnecessarily.
