Environment Secretary will today (Monday 10 March)
pledge to ‘clean up Windermere' setting out the Government's
support for the long-term ambition of ‘only rainwater' entering
England's largest lake.
This comes ahead of a thorough feasibility study – established by
the ‘Only Rainwater' local coalition including United Utilities,
the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Save Windermere, Love Windermere,
the Lake District National Park authority, and Westmorland and
Furness Council. The study will determine what would be needed to
eliminate sewage discharges into the lake, drawing on successful
examples and innovation from around the world to create a roadmap
for delivery.
As a first step, government is working on new methods to reduce
pollution from private sewage discharges into Windermere. Along
with new treatment plants and enhanced maintenance, the
government is supporting the delivery of First-Time Sewerage
schemes which provide a mechanism for owners of septic tanks and
package treatment works to request connection to the mains sewer
under certain conditions. This will be vital in consolidating the
wastewater infrastructure in the catchment, enabling our
long-term objective.
The Environment Secretary will also reiterate his support for
local action and regulation to protect and improve water quality,
including 33 additional Environment Agency specialist officers in
the region and a quadrupling of water company inspections.
Environment Secretary said:
Windermere is a stunningly beautiful national treasure – but it's
being choked by unacceptable levels of sewage
pollution.
As part of our Plan for Change, the Government is committed to
cleaning up this iconic lake.
That is why we are working with a range of local groups and
organisations to stop all sewage going into the lake and restore
it to its natural beauty.
The action forms part of this government's work to transform the
water sector and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
This includes the Water (Special Measures) Act that will create a
level playing field through stronger regulation alongside
securing £104 billion of private sector investment to upgrade our
crumbling infrastructure, boost economic growth and create
thousands of good, well-paid jobs right across the country.
Following approval by Ofwat last year, United Utilities are
investing £200 million to upgrade 9 wastewater treatment works at
Windermere and reduce the spills from all 6 storm overflows
discharging into the lake to 10 per year by 2030. Across the
country, over £100 billion of private sector money will be
invested into the water sector – the largest investment into
water in history. This will help to upgrade and build new
water infrastructure in every region of the country with sewage
pipes, water treatment works and nine reservoirs, supporting 1.5
million new homes, 150 major infrastructure projects and power
new industries such as gigafactories and data centres.
This vital investment is a good start – but in the face of
climate change, we must go further and faster to protect precious
natural assets like Windermere, which is why government is
backing the ambition to eliminate sewage discharges into the
lake.
Windermere, part of the Lake District National Park UNESCO World
Heritage Site. It is home to more than 14,000 people and its
beautiful scenery, rare species and cultural heritage attract a
further 7 million visitors per year, generating £750 million for
the local economy. The lake faces pollution from a range of
sources including rural and urban land use, wastewater from
United Utilities and private sewage treatment - issues that are
being made worse by climate change.
The Environment Secretary's visit to Windermere is the first of
seven visits that he and Water Minister will make on a ‘Things Can Only
Get Cleaner' tour this week, to see where investment in water
infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create
jobs and turbocharge local economies – a cornerstone of the
government's Plan for
Change.
The government also confirmed today that locally led schemes to
clean up waterways are set to receive up to £11m, with money
based on water company fines and penalties ringfenced to deliver
local water projects. Applicants to the Water Restoration Fund,
including some in the Lake District, will be notified today.
Successful projects will begin this year and focus on improving
the water environment in the same regions where the fines and
penalties were issued. This could include projects to restore
waters to good ecological status; support biodiversity in
water-dependent habitats and build resilience to climate
change.
