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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support water regulators in (a) monitoring (i) river and (ii) sea water quality and (b) rectifying low water quality.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

Since 01 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This will ensure that every sewage discharge outlet is monitored.

Price Review 24 set record levels of investment into the water industry of £104 billion over the next five years and sets out work water companies have to conduct. This includes investing £12 billion to upgrade nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales, reducing the number of spills from storm overflows and installing water quality monitors to provide further information on the impact of sewage discharges on water quality.