Government unveils plan to tackle sewage dumping in rivers and seas

Why are people protesting and what has the government promised? Vincent McAviney explains

The government has unveiled a plan to crack down on sewage spilling into rivers and seas.

It includes the "strictest targets ever" for water companies in a bid to "protect people and the environment," and comes after a group of French politicians accused the government of allowing the English Channel and North Sea to become "dumping grounds" for leaked sewage.

Companies will be expected to deliver the "largest ever environmental infrastructure investment," - £56 billion over 25 years - to tackle storm sewage overflows by 2050, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The plan is designed to ensure that "discharges only happen when there is unusually heavy rain and when there is no immediate adverse impact to the local environment."

What is a sewage overflow?

Overflows put untreated sewage into the seas and rivers to stop drains overflowing, for example after rain storms.

Raw sewage was dumped into rivers and the coasts around 375,000 times last year, the Environment Agency reported.

And pollution warnings were in place on almost 50 beaches last week, after heavy rainfall resulted in sewage being discharged.

DEFRA said it's new plan would focus action on "particularly important and sensitive areas including designated bathing waters and high priority ecological sites."

By 2035, water companies will have to "improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water; and improve 75% of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites," according to the plan.

By 2050, the plan will apply to all remaining storm overflows covered by DEFRA's targets, regardless of their location.

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Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "We will require water companies to protect everyone who uses our water for recreation, and ensure storm overflows pose no threat to the environment.

“Water companies will need to invest to stop unacceptable sewage spills so our rivers and coast lines can have greater protection than ever before.”

He said that, under the plans, there would be no changes to water bills until 2025.

But Mr Eustice added the government would continue to monitor water affordability and "take further action if needed," as well as "consult on a new water affordability scheme to help less well-off households."

The Environment Agency and industry regulator Ofwat are currently investigating water company sewage discharges at over 200 treatment works, after new data came to light.

DEFRA said the investigations would "ensure that companies found to be acting illegally are held to account," adding prosecution "could lead to unlimited fines and companies having to reimburse customers."

There have been 54 prosecutions against water companies since 2015, securing fines of nearly £140 million, according to the government.