Last week the Government launched its Plan for Water. The Horsham area has significant water related issues involving both water usage and storage and concerns on environmental quality – locally we have a very profound issue with water neutrality driven by real concerns about our aquifer.
Through investment and regulation, we have cleaner bathing waters than at any time since the Industrial Revolution. Across the country 93% are “good” or “excellent”, up from 76% in 2010. In West Sussex 15 are rated “excellent” and nine are rated “good” with only 1 rated “poor”.
This is the first Government to start comprehensively monitoring storm overflows – from 10% in 2015 to 100% by the end of the year. We have also introduced new targets on water companies to increase investment and tighten legal permits on storm overflows.
The new Plan for Water will: bring forward £1.6 billion of extra infrastructure to help tackle storm overflows; allow for unlimited fines on water companies and link performance to pay-outs to shareholders and water management companies; invest fines into a new Water Restoration Fund; design new homes to be more efficient with water usage; and include a new ban on plastic-containing wet wipes to prevent pollution.
We are ensuring the investment is made to ultimately end the practice established by our Victorian infrastructure (that combined sewage and wastewater) that in the event of water surges discharges have to be made from the system.
I recently joined Sussex MPs to meet the Chief Executives from Southern Water and the Environment Agency to discuss sewage discharges into Sussex rivers and the sea. I welcome the fact that the Environment Agency is taking a very proactive stance on ensuring regulations which limit this to extreme circumstances are followed. Increased monitoring which we have introduced will made water companies ever more accountable. Southern Water told MPs they will be launching a thorough root-and-branch approach to separate surface water from sewage.
Huge progress has been made but this is just a start. Reducing unnecessary water usage, updating our water supply and modernising water treatment requires investment to continue into the long-term.