Overview

This bill aims to stop water companies from discharging untreated sewage into rivers and other inland waters in England. It will place a legal duty on water companies to take all reasonable steps to prevent this, and requires them to monitor and report on their progress.

Description

The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill amends the Water Industry Act 1991. It introduces a new duty on water companies in England to take all reasonable steps to prevent untreated sewage discharge into inland waters.

Key Requirements for Water Companies:

• Maintain and publish a register of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and other assets that might discharge sewage.
• Publish biannual reports on the operational status of these assets.
• Progressively install continuous monitoring of all sewage discharges and publish the data.
• Monitor and publish reports on the quality and duration of CSO discharges.
• Develop drainage and wastewater management plans to reduce reliance on CSOs and progressively install biological or nature-based treatments at wastewater treatment works.

Further Measures

The bill also requires the Secretary of State to report annually to Parliament on measures to assist water companies in meeting their duty. These measures include:

• Separating surface water and sewage collection systems in new developments and major renovations.
• Reducing the volume of sewage produced, through measures like water metering for all domestic properties by 2025.
• Reducing the polluting content of sewage by establishing standards for flushable products and banning plastics in sanitary products.
• Reducing the impact of CSO discharges through improved monitoring and research.
• Improving bathing water quality in inland waters by setting targets and designating bathing waters.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify exact figures for government spending. However, it will likely involve costs associated with the Secretary of State's reporting requirements, research initiatives by the Environment Agency, and potential financial support for water companies to implement the new requirements. The overall financial impact is unclear and would depend on the scale and nature of the measures taken by water companies and the government.

Groups Affected

• Water companies: Face new legal duties, monitoring requirements, and potentially significant costs to upgrade infrastructure and processes.
• Environment Agency: Increased responsibilities for monitoring, reporting, and research.
• Homeowners and businesses: May face costs associated with new water metering, changes to drainage systems, and restrictions on the use of certain products.
• Developers: Will need to comply with new requirements for sewage and surface water separation in new developments.
• River users and environmental groups: Potentially benefit from improved water quality and reduced sewage pollution.

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