Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, statement on the Environment Bill: Amendment 45.
As you can imagine, I have received a large amount of correspondence about the recent vote on the Environment Bill. I therefore thought it would be useful to address the misinformation and matters raised on storm sewage overflows.
I want to make clear I do not want one unnecessary drop of sewage to enter our water course, however sadly there are occasions where it is not possible that this can be avoided.
To clarify, the issue of storm sewage arises during heavy rainstorms. During a storm, heavy or lengthy rainfall can quickly increase the flow in a combined sewer and cause it to become overwhelmed. When this happens storm overflows, which are used to protect properties from flooding and stop sewage from overflowing into our streets, releases excess water into rivers or the sea.
I am pleased that the Environment Bill already contains a range of measures which are designed to eliminate the discharge of untreated sewerage into rivers. For example, there will be a requirement for water companies to carry out real-time reporting of storm overflows and water quality monitoring upstream and downstream of storm overflows and sewage disposal works.
The Government adopted the majority of the Lords amendment 45 on Storm Overflows, with the exception of lines 7 to 14. This is because the Government has plans outside of the bill, including a draft policy statement for Ofwat, which clearly states that we expect it to “incentivise water companies to significantly reduce the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows.”
It is worth noting that had the amendment as drafted been approved, the cost to completely eliminate storm sewage overflows would be between £150 billion and £660 billion. This costing works out at between about £5,000 and £20,000 per household.
All that said, there is much that can be done to address this matter, and the wider issue of water pollution. For the first time, the Government has put at the top of the agenda the need for water companies to address storm sewage overflows.
I hope that with the above in mind this has addressed the misinformation and set out what steps are being taken to address the matter.
