Overview

This bill aims to legally obligate water companies in England to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into rivers and other inland waters. It introduces a new duty, backed by monitoring and reporting requirements, to improve water quality.

Description

The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill amends the Water Industry Act 1991. It places 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 publicly share a register of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and other assets that may discharge untreated sewage.
• Publish biannual reports on the operational status of these assets.
• Continuously monitor and publish data on all untreated sewage discharges.
• Publish annual reports on the quality and duration of discharges from CSOs and other assets.
• Incorporate measures into drainage and wastewater management plans to:
  • Install biological or nature-based treatments at wastewater treatment works where feasible.
  • Reduce reliance on CSOs.
• Meet any further requirements specified by the Secretary of State through regulations.

The Secretary of State, the relevant authority, and the Environment Agency must work together to enforce compliance. The Secretary of State must also produce annual reports to Parliament on the measures taken to assist water companies and on their performance against this new duty, beginning within one year of the bill's enactment.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. However, it is likely to lead to increased costs for the government in monitoring, enforcement, and supporting water companies' compliance efforts. The exact financial implications will depend on the scale of necessary infrastructure improvements and enforcement actions.

Groups Affected

• Water Companies: They will face new legal obligations and potential costs associated with upgrading infrastructure and improving monitoring.
• Environment Agency: Increased responsibility for monitoring and enforcement.
• Secretary of State and other Government bodies: Responsible for overseeing implementation, reporting, and potentially providing funding or support.
• Environmental groups and concerned citizens: May see improvements in water quality and reduced pollution.
• Taxpayers: Potentially increased costs through government spending on enforcement and related measures.

Powered by nyModel