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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with water companies on contingency planning for (a) prolonged water loss or (b) low pressure during winter in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. Companies are required under the SEMD framework to plan for a wide range of disruptive scenarios, including continuous monitoring of risks such as severe winter weather. In addition to SEMD requirements, companies are also incentivised under Ofwat’s performance targets regime to minimise supply interruptions and resulting customer impacts. The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates water company performance on SEMD performance. Water companies are also Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have duties to plan for emergencies.

Defra maintains regular strategic engagement with water companies on resilience planning – including South East Water and Thames Water – throughout the winter. This includes preparedness in advance of forecast periods of severe weather. Water companies also engage with their Local Resilience Forums in understanding risk, planning and exercising.