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To improve environmental protection and enforcement, improved monitoring of sewage spillages is essential.

To improve environmental protection and enforcement, improved monitoring of sewage spillages is essential.

Nearly nine out of ten storm overflows now have monitoring equipment that provides vital information about their use. This allows water companies to be held accountable and drives environmental protections. Today’s data (31 March) shows.

The data are published simultaneously with new targets being set by the government to address storm sewage discharges. A consultation is now open.

The following are the proposals made in consultation:

  • By 2035, all environmental impacts from 3,000 storm overflows (75%) on our most important protected sites have been eliminated
  • In 2035, there will have been 70% less discharges into the waters of bathing pools.
  • In 2040, there will be approximately 160,000 discharges (or 40% of the total); by 2050, around 320,000 discharges will be eliminated on average (80% of total);
  • Water companies will have to be encouraged to accelerate these timelines whenever possible, while avoiding unnecessary cost for consumers.

Data for the survey was returned by 12,400 monitors (86%) 2021 Event Duration Monitoring ReleaseThe Environment Agency published the following. This is an increase of 8,276 storm overflows in 2019 and follows Environment Agency actions to ensure water companies install monitors for the vast majority of storm surges by the end 2020.

All storm overflows in the area will have monitors by 2023. This will support Ofwat as well as the Environment Agency in holding water companies responsible.

The 2021 data also shows

  • In 2021, the average number of storm overflows was 29 times, while it was 33 times in 2020.
  • 5% of storm surges recorded spillages of 100 times or greater in 2021;
  • In 2021, 13% of storm overflows didn’t spill.

The EA has made significant improvements to the publication’s detail to make it more consistent, accessible and more consistent. The data now includes grid references for every overflow, which allows water companies to explain the main reason for frequent spillages and what they plan on doing to fix them.

Sir James Bevan, Environment Agency Chief Executive:

Water companies have been subject to increasing pressure from the Environment Agency and campaigners, as well as the public, for allowing sewage to spill into rivers. We are now holding them accountable on a scale that has never been seen before. Sewage pollution can have a devastating effect on our environment, biodiversity, and human health.

This data must be provided by water companies in order to ensure that everyone is able to see what is happening. Although we are on track for having all overflows monitored by next, it is simply not enough. Water companies must take immediate action to reduce their overflows.

Storm overflows allow storm water to be released from the sewerage system into rivers and the ocean during heavy rains to ensure that they are not overwhelmed. Water companies should not do this unless it is allowed by law.

Recent data shows that water companies are dumping sewage into waterways far more often than they should. There is no room to be complacent. Transparency around storm overflows is crucial to government and regulator efforts to understand and improve water quality. It is also critical to hold water companies responsible.

EDM data has been used by the EA to inform a major criminal investigation into widespread non-compliance among water and sewerage companies at waste treatment works.

These data have also been used to inform the development of new duties by government under the Environment Act 2020. This includes a new duty for water companies to publish near-real-time information about storm overflows, to monitor water quality upstream and downstream of storm surges, and to sewage treatment plants.

Water companies are also obligated to reduce the negative effects of sewage disposals. These legally binding obligations will help reduce river pollution, protect wildlife, and improve public health.

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