Water firms face legal targets to cut sewage dumping in rivers

Water companies face legally binding targets to cut sewage discharges into the UK's rivers, under plans announced by the government.

There were an average of 825 sewage spills per day into England's waterways last year.

Ministers are under pressure to take tougher action against the firms responsible.

But opposition parties said the targets were "too little too late" and a "pre-local election gimmick".

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said the government would legislate for a clear target on sewage discharges, in line with its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, which was published in August 2022.

The plan sets out that by 2035, water companies must cut discharges to all designated bathing water and 75% of high priority sites like conservation areas.

It also states that by 2050, no overflows will be permitted to operate outside of unusually heavy rainfall or to cause any adverse ecological harm.

Ms Coffey said: "A clear, credible and costed legally binding target will add to our transparent and determined approach to solve this issue, whilst keeping consumer bills low."

Firms are allowed to discharge untreated sewage in exceptional circumstances - for example, during heavy rainfall.

But they can be acting illegally if they pump sewage into water when the conditions are dry, or if they are not treating enough of the waste before releasing it.

The issue has been a focus of campaigning ahead of May's local elections in England, with all parties promising tough measures to tackle sewage dumping.

On Tuesday, Labour set out its own draft legislation, which would require water companies to cut discharges by 90% by the end of 2030 and impose automatic financial penalties for firms which break the rules.

Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said his party's plans "would finally see an end to the Tory sewage scandal", which he said had seen raw sewage dumped "on an industrial stage".

The Liberal Democrats said the government's proposals were "a pathetic rehash of a plan which allows water companies to pump sewage into rivers and lakes for decades to come".

Meanwhile, the Green Party said the targets were "too little too late", branding the announcement "another pre-local election gimmick that attempts to get the Conservatives out of the mess they are in".

Wildlife and Countryside Link, which represents more than 70 environmental organisations including Greenpeace and the Woodland Trust, welcomed plans for legally binding targets but said they should be brought forward.

The group said the current targets would still allow sewage "to pour into sensitive wildlife sites for another 20 years or more".