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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the number of wastewater discharge event duration monitors.

We have increased the number of storm overflows monitored with event duration monitors across the network from 7% in 2010 to 91% now, and we will reach 100% cover by end of this year. In April, we launched our consultation on Continuous Water Quality Monitoring and Event Duration Monitoring. This outlines the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflow and final effluent discharges and to report on this in near-real time. This consultation closes on 23 May.

In May, Ofwat launched a consultation which set out measures which will see companies face penalties for failing to monitor storm overflows. This will help to drive delivery of the UK Government’s Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan by incentivising better coverage and better reporting, and are in addition to the powers that the Environment Agency already have. This consultation closes on 23 May.