Water companies given until 2050 to stop dumping raw sewage in rivers

Water companies face legally binding targets to cut sewage discharge into waterways – but not until 2050.

Environment secretary Therese Coffey claimed her legislation would reduce storm overflows and put voluntary targets on a ‘new legal footing’.

The aim is to eliminate sewage dumping in 27 years’ time, cut discharges near ‘high priority’ areas by 75% by 2035, and 100% by 2045.

But the plans were slammed by Labour who tried to force a vote on its own draft legislation aimed at bringing a faster end to sewage dumping.

Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said Labour’s voted-down proposal would have seen ‘an end to the Tory sewage scandal’.

Ms Coffey hit back, adding: ‘I have been unequivocal on this issue. Water companies need to clean up their act – and they need to cover the costs.

‘But the hard truth is that however much we all want to see this fixed immediately, the scale and complexity means there is no way that we can stop pollution overnight. To suggest otherwise is dishonest.

‘I am using the full force of my powers to make sure that we stop the damage caused by storm overflows as quickly as possible. That includes our plans today to put our costed and credible target on a new legal footing.’

Mr McMahon said: ‘The reason we’re here today is because the country we love and the quality of life for millions of working people is being treated with utter contempt, dumped on with raw human sewage, dumped on on an industrial scale, and dumped on with at least 1.5 million sewage dumps last year alone.

‘Dumped on for a total of 11 million running hours, that’s a sewage dump every two-and-a-half minutes.’

The government bill would make water companies reduce discharges from storm overflows by 90% by the end of 2030 and impose financial penalties for sewage dumping.

MPs voted 290 to 188, majority 102, in favour of the government’s amendment to Labour’s motion which deleted mention of their bid to introduce draft legislation.

The issue is an important talking point ahead of the elections as Environment Agency statistics show sewage is dumped in rivers every two-and-a-half minutes.

Despite this, Ms Coffey added: ‘Through the Environment Act 2021, we will legislate for a clear target on storm overflow reduction in line with our plan.

‘A clear, credible and costed legally binding target will add to our transparent and determined approach to solve this issue, whilst keeping consumer bills low.

‘This will also be backed by existing separate interim targets for bathing waters and our most precious habitats.’

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