Environment Agency secures record Environmental commitments from Water firms

The Environment Agency, working closely with Natural England, has secured the largest ever commitment from water companies to clean up the environment and invest in new infrastructure since privatisation.  

The Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) sets out over 24,000 actions water companies must take over the next five years to meet their legal requirements for the environment. This series of targeted interventions represents a £22.1bn investment in the environment – four times more than was secured in the last Price Review and will deliver tangible benefits for our water system and for customers.

As part of the PR24 process the Environment Agency assessed actions proposed by water companies and, alongside Ofwat and Natural England, provided technical guidance to make sure these actions will provide direct solutions to environmental pressures and help drive nature recovery.

The agreed actions will lead to improvements in water infrastructure to secure future supply, habitats and biodiversity and drinking water quality. For example, water companies have submitted plans to establish trials to remove nitrate, restore nationally important chalk streams, and install bespoke biosecurity measures to remove invasive species.

Locally, the latest round of WINEP will see a significant scheme to upgrade a large wastewater treatment works in the River Mersey catchment in Greater Manchester and into Cheshire and Merseyside. This will lead to better water quality outcomes and a reduction in the need for chemical intervention as well as lower carbon emissions.

Further goals set out under WINEP, which will build on the work already delivered across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, include: 

• protecting and enhancing 69 rivers
• working alongside Welsh Water and United Utilities to review water quality of potential bathing water sites such as the River Wye, downstream of Hay-on-Wye
• upgrading 191 storm overflows in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire leading to an annual reduction of sewage spills
• upgrading a further 20 treatment works in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire to reduce their environmental impact and cut down on phosphorus discharge
• installing monitors at emergency overflows sites.

Andy Judd, Environment Planning and Partnership Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

“This investment is an important step in the right direction which will not only improve the environment but will also help stimulate development and drive economic growth for the benefit of local communities and nature.

“We will continue to work closely with United Utilities and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water to monitor progress on these commitments and ensure they deliver what has been promised. If they fail to carry out their legal obligations to the environment, we will take action.” 

Natural England provides advice and guidance where water company activity may influence protected sites ,including Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and how this can be improved through the WINEP. 

Steve Reed, Secretary of State for the Environment said:

“It is no secret that our water system needs fixing and that our rivers, lakes and seas are choked by pollution.

“Customers deserve the money they pay in bills to go towards improving the service they receive, and that is why the Government will ringfence money earmarked for investment, so it can only be spent on projects like these.

“We are also going further to fix our water system through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, by introducing new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against lawbreakers.”