It is good news today to hear that the Government has now included an amendment to address sewage pollution in the Environment Bill.
Only yesterday we were concerned the original proposal had been stripped out of the bill.
It seems pressure from the river movement and concerned individuals and organisations has helped secure this new duty which will be enshrined in law and expect water companies to provide an ongoing reduction in the negative impacts of discharges from storm overflows.
Our CEO Dr Laurence Couldrick said: “Looks like the Government has done a U-turn on the storm overflow amendment giving a statutory requirement for water companies to progressively reduce storm overflow use. But what will this look like?”
According to the Government website, the amendment will be “very similar to Amendment 45 in the name of the Duke of Wellington, which was debated in the House of Commons on Tuesday (26 Oct)”.
The Government will bring forward the amendment in the House of Commons, when the Bill returns there for the next stage of passage.
For details, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-bill-further-strengthened-to-tackle-storm-overflows
Read more at https://wrt.org.uk/river-health-it-stinks/
We will share how it progresses and continue to call for better river health for all.
#EndSewagePollution
I was so shocked when I saw that so many – mainly Conservative – MPs had voted against the bill this week, because this is not a political issue – it’s a humanitarian and ecological issue affecting us all. This amendment MUST be passed, and water companies have to be made responsible. If the cost of water to the public increases – so be it. Clean healthy water should be a right, not just desirable.
I live in Plymouth near the River Plym, in an area of dense housing with many young families, and the stench from this river is disgusting on certain days. If it was a more expensive property location, I’m sure the pollution and resulting stink would not be tolerated.