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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the wastewater licence at Portswood Wastewater Treatment Works in Southampton.

The adequacy of the Environmental Permit at Portswood Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in Southampton has been assessed through various modelling investigations and regulatory reviews. These have resulted in several improvements at Portswood including the most recent permit variation issued on 28 June 2023, when a modern consolidated Environmental Permit was issued which included statutory driver improvements to be delivered by 2025. The Environment Agency (EA) is currently assessing an application by Southern Water, who operate the site, to vary operations to help further improve odour control at the site. As with all bespoke permit applications for water discharge the EA consults with the public and relevant organisations,

Additionally, the EA’s comprehensive assessments to monitor and manage nutrient levels in the region help ensure the Environmental Permit for the Portswood WwTW remains adequate and compliant with environmental standards, while future improvements planned for the 2025-30 period will further enhance its environmental performance through meeting nitrogen neutrality requirements

The Government is committed to taking action to give regulators the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies who fail to meet their obligations. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will provide the most significant increase in enforcement powers to the regulators in a decade. The Bill will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

On 23 October 2024 the UK and Welsh governments launched an independent commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, to recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system. The Commission will publish a report in Q2 2025, with recommendations for actionable solutions to the sector’s problems.