MPs' river inquiry to focus on sewage and urban diffuse pollution

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called for evidence until 5 February in an inquiry into water quality in rivers, focusing on the water industry and urban diffuse pollution.

The committee explained that water pollution remains a major problem in achieving targets established under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD, requiring all European surface water to reach “good ecological status” by 2015 with a maximum deadline of 2027), which will be carried over in some form to targets under the forthcoming Environment Act.

In 2019, government reporting showed that only 16% of English rivers met good ecological status and no river met good chemical status under the WFD. Moreover, at current rates of progress it will take over 200 years to reach the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan target of 75% of waters to be close to their natural state.

The Committee focused its comments framing the inquiry on untreated sewage discharge from nearly 18,000 sewer overflows, noting sewage is estimated to account for 55% of the rivers that are failing to reach good ecological status. And on urban runoff which is not permitted and not monitored.

Specifically the EAC invited written submissions on:

• what are the best indicators for river water quality that could be used as targets being developed under the Environment Bill?

• how could drainage and sewage management plans, introduced by the Environment Bill, play a role in reduced sewer discharges?

• how adequate are the monitoring and reporting requirements around water company discharges? How can technology improve and assist with transparency and enforcement?

• what is the impact of plastic pollution and other materials on drainage and water quality in rivers and what should be done to mitigate it?

• how can consumers be persuaded to change their behaviour to minimise pollution?

• what is the required investment level needed to minimise storm overflows vs the scope for sustainable drainage and nature-based solutions?

• how effective are the planning policy and standards around sustainable drainage systems to reduce urban diffuse pollution in England?

• should local authorities and highways agencies be given a duty to prevent pollution to watercourses without prior treatment?

• how effective is Ofwat’s remit and regulation of water companies? Does it facilitate sufficient investment in improvements to water quality, including sustainable drainage systems and nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands?

• is adequate investment being made in adapting water treatment systems to future climate change?

• how could the designation of inland bathing waters by water companies affect the costs of achieving the associated water quality standards?