Reacting to today’s announcement by the
Environment Secretary on tackling sewage discharges,
Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, Rt Hon MP, said:
“The Government’s announcement today represents a sea change in
policy action around sewage. For far too long—as we emphasised in
our report on Water Quality in Rivers—policymakers, water
companies and regulators have all turned a blind eye to the awful
and disgusting practice of discharging raw sewage into our
waterways.
“I welcome this announcement today, which acknowledges many of
the Committee’s recommendations. We look forward to the full
Government response to our report.
“With greater accountability and responsibility on water
companies to clean up their act, there may now be light at the
end of our Victorian pipe system. We are under no illusions that
the scale of the challenge is significant, but when executives
are paid handsomely and utility bills rising, consumers expect
and demand more. There is simply no excuse for the substandard
infrastructure and damaging practices which have such a negative
impact on our rivers, especially during a climate and nature
crisis.
“Headline after headline about atrocious sewage discharges have
made us all angry. I encourage all who care about the health of
our rivers to respond constructively to the Government’s
consultation so that lasting and effective changes in policy and
practice can be made.”