MPs in Cornwall have spoken about a plan to tackle how water companies treat discharges of untreated sewage, describing it as "the largest infrastructure programme in water company history."

The government has published its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan today, saying the public has made clear that such discharges are "completely unacceptable."

It explains that the Victorians introduced storm overflows as a safety valve for combined sewage systems.

Now, under pressure from climate change and population growth, water companies "use them far too often", threatening the environment and sea users.

As a result, the government's plan sets out a mandatory £56billion investment programme to sort the problem out.

Environment Secretary George Eustice, who is also MP for Camborne and Redruth, said: “This is the first government to take action to end the environmental damage caused by sewage spills. 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.”

 

 

The government said the plan would be reviewed in 2027 to consider where the programme can be accelerated, taking account of "innovation and efficiencies" and "how the programme is impacting bills." It has promised that under this plan there will be no changes to bills until 2025.

The plan builds on £3.1 billion of investment almost promised from water companies to improve storm overflows between 2020 and 2025.

It went on to add that a "raft of measures" had also been brought forward in the Environment Act to tackle sewage discharges, including the requirement for greater transparency from water companies on their storm overflow data.

There have been 54 prosecutions against water companies nationally since 2015, resulting in fines of nearly £140 million.

The news has been welcomed by Cherilyn Mackrory, MP for Truro and Falmouth, which saw a sewage alert warning at one of its beaches earlier this week.

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She said: “I welcome this plan, which will mean water companies will face strict targets and must eliminate the harm any sewage discharge causes to the environment.

"The amount of sewage discharged by water companies from storm overflows, including into the rivers and seas surrounding Falmouth, is unacceptable.

"That is why, since my election, I have consistently pressed ministers to take tough action to crack down on this issue. I am pleased the Government is listening and is going further than any previous administration to sort this out.

"I will continue to push South West Water to tackle sewage overflows as soon as possible.”