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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the likely date of exhaustion of sewage treatment chemical stockpiles in the event that they are not replenished.

There is currently an adequate supply of water and wastewater treatment chemicals throughout the UK. A temporary Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) was introduced to enable water and wastewater treatment sites to apply to the Environment Agency (EA) to reduce chemical dosing levels and mitigate any delays resulting the shortage of haulier drivers. This will expire at the end of the year unless the EA chooses to extend it. It has not been necessary for any wastewater companies to use the RPS.