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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the likelihood of future water supply shortages in West Sussex.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a supply of wholesome water under the Water Industry Act 1991 and associated water quality regulations. Companies must ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency and are required to plan to provide alternative supplies in the event of a loss of normal supply. As set out in Security and Emergency Measures Direction (SEMD) 2022, in the event of an unavoidable failure of piped supply, water companies must ensure that a minimum supply is provided by alternative means. The Drinking Water Inspectorate lead on assurance and enforcement of SEMD.

Water companies have statutory requirements to consult, publish and maintain Water Resources Management Plans, which set out how they will provide secure water supplies for at least twenty-five years into the future. We expect Southern Water to consult on a revised draft plan later this month. The draft plan will be assessed by water regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat to ensure Southern Water make appropriate improvements.

Subject to an eight-week consultation on changes to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, Government proposals will increase – and in most cases double – reimbursement which water company customers are entitled to when key standards are not met by water companies, including in incidents of supply interruption.