Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the levels of pollution in the River Avon.

Answered by Robbie Moore

We are committed to continue improving water quality and are delivering record investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to improve our water for our own health, for nature and the economy. In the Avon catchment area, over 60 water company assets (sewage treatment works, sewage pumping stations and combined sewer overflows) were inspected by the Environment Agency (EA) by end of February 2024 for the 2023/24 business year.

Along the River Avon, the EA also conducts inspections at agricultural and intensive farming sites to ensure compliance with regulations. Additionally, the EA offer advice and guidance on best practices to mitigate potential pollution risks to farmers and landowners.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the levels of pollution in the River Avon.

Answered by Robbie Moore

The Government published the Plan for Water in April 2023 – our comprehensive strategy for managing our water environment, including our rivers. It brings together the significant steps we have already taken with a suite of new policy actions. It aims to change the way that we manage water, improve water quality, and continue to secure our water supply through increased investment, stronger regulation and enforcement.

The latest Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessment of Ecological Status for rivers, including River Avon, sets out the condition of waterbodies across the country. Although none of the 6 waterbodies across the River Avon achieved Good Ecological Status – a measure of water quality – most of the underlying tests did do. Agency modelling predicts that approximately 55% of phosphates in the main River Avon arise from water company wastewater treatment works and approximately 30% arise from agriculture.

This Government is committed to improving water quality in the River Avon and the Environment Agency continue to drive this forward by carrying out inspections at agricultural and water company sites along the river.