Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Water Quality in Rivers

Status: Closed Opened: 8 Dec 2020 Closed: 22 Oct 2023 51 recommendations 31 conclusions 1 report

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is holding an inquiry into water quality in rivers. The EAC has previously inquired into nitrate pollution so this inquiry intends to focus on the water industry and urban diffuse pollution. For more information about this inquiry read the call for evidence . Read the interactive summary of the report … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Water quality in rivers HC 74 13 Jan 2022 82 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
59 Recommendation Fourth Report - Water quality in rivers Accepted in Part

We recommend that National Highways devote a greater proportion of its environmental budget to the...

We recommend that National Highways devote a greater proportion of its environmental budget to the mitigation of outfalls and set a target of eliminating pollution from those outfalls most at risk by 2030, in line with the Government’s commitments to halt species decline. It should set out, by the end … Read more

Government response AI summary
National Highways agrees to set out its plans for how high-risk outfalls could be mitigated by 2030 by the end of the 2022/23 financial year, but cannot commit to performance requirements and funding at this time due to the ongoing development of the 3rd Road …
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69 Recommendation Fourth Report - Water quality in rivers Accepted in Part

The value of biodiversity in rivers in England does not appear to have been priced...

The value of biodiversity in rivers in England does not appear to have been priced adequately into the economic decisions made by companies and by regulatory agencies. If it is to meet the Environment Act’s legally binding target to halt the decline in the abundance of species in England by … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government supports the use of natural capital in decision making and accepts that Ofwat should take natural capital into account. They state that Natural capital was included in the 2017 Strategic Policy Statement and Ofwat continues to incorporate natural capital into their regulatory framework, …
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73 Recommendation Fourth Report - Water quality in rivers Accepted in Part

We recommend that the level of financial support provided to the Environment Agency be reviewed...

We recommend that the level of financial support provided to the Environment Agency be reviewed as a matter of urgency in the light of its new statutory responsibilities and the scale of the regulatory task it faces, recognising its continued need for efficiency. Water quality in rivers 129 We further … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government has reviewed the Environment Agency's budget, significantly increasing funding for inspections, enforcement, and monitoring. However, it does not explicitly commit to reviewing the environmental permitting charging scheme provisions to ensure charges accurately reflect costs.
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Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
13 Oct 2021 Heidi Mottram CBE · Northumbrian Water, Ian McAulay · Southern Water, Liv Garfield · Severn Trent Water, Sarah Bentley · Thames Water, Susan Davy · South West Water View ↗
15 Sep 2021 Kirstin Green · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rebecca Pow · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Richard Bramley · National Farmers Union (NFU), Simon Gallagher · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Susan Twining · CLA (Country Land and Business Association) View ↗
23 Jun 2021 David Black · Ofwat, Nick Harris · National Highways, Sir James Bevan · Environment Agency View ↗
26 May 2021 Alastair Chisholm · Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Bronwyn Buntine · Kent Council, Daniel Johns · Anglian Water Services Ltd, Ian Titherington · Cardiff Council, Jo Bradley · Stormwater Shepherds, Lila Thompson · British Water View ↗
21 Apr 2021 Feargal Sharkey · Amwell Magna Fishery, Jane Nickerson · Swim England, Mr Ben Seal · British Canoeing, Pete Lloyd · Environment Agency, Professor Peter Hammond · University College London (UCL), Professor Rebecca Malby · Ilkley Clean River Group View ↗
10 Mar 2021 Amy Slack · Surfers against Sewage, Dr Michelle Jackson · Oxford University, Dr Rob Collins · The Rivers Trust, Guy Linley-Adams · Salmon and Trout Conservation, Professor Nigel Watson · Lancaster University, Professor Steve Ormerod · Cardiff University View ↗

Who gave evidence

31 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alastair Chisholm · Director of Policy Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management 1
Amy Slack · Head of Campaigns & Policy Surfers against Sewage 1
Bronwyn Buntine · Sustainable Drainage Team Leader Kent Council 1
Daniel Johns · Head of Public Affairs Anglian Water Services Ltd 1
David Black · Chief Executive Ofwat 1
Dr Michelle Jackson · Associate Professor of freshwater/marine ecology,… Oxford University 1
Dr Rob Collins · Head of Policy and Science The Rivers Trust 1
Feargal Sharkey · Chairman Amwell Magna Fishery 1
Guy Linley-Adams · Solicitor Salmon and Trout Conservation 1
Heidi Mottram CBE · Chief Executive Northumbrian Water 1
Ian McAulay · Chief Executive Southern Water 1
Ian Titherington · Lead drainage officer Cardiff Council 1
Jane Nickerson · Chief Executive Swim England 1
Jo Bradley · Director of Operations UK Stormwater Shepherds 1
Kirstin Green · Deputy Director, Water Quality Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Lila Thompson · Chief Executive British Water 1
Liv Garfield · Chief Executive Severn Trent Water 1
Mr Ben Seal · Places to Paddle Manager British Canoeing 1
Nick Harris · Chief Executive National Highways 1
Pete Lloyd · Retired water quality expert Environment Agency 1
Professor Nigel Watson · Professor of Geography and Environmental Manageme… Lancaster University 1
Professor Peter Hammond · (retired) Professor of Computational Biology University College London (UCL) 1
Professor Rebecca Malby · Co-founder Ilkley Clean River Group 1
Professor Steve Ormerod · Professor of Ecology/Co-Director Water Research I… Cardiff University 1
Rebecca Pow · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Richard Bramley · Environment Forum Chair National Farmers Union (NFU) 1
Sarah Bentley · Chief Executive Thames Water 1
Simon Gallagher · Planning Director Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Sir James Bevan · Chief Executive Environment Agency 1
Susan Davy · Chief Executive South West Water 1
Susan Twining · Chief Land Use Policy Adviser CLA (Country Land and Business Association) 1

Correspondence

15 letters
DateDirectionTitle
23 Oct 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chief Executive of Ofwat regarding their Water Company Performa…
22 Sep 2022 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, rel…
6 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from the Leader of Chichester District Council, relating to the Water Qu…
6 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from National Highways, relating to the Water Quality in Rivers inquiry,…
25 Nov 2021 To cttee Letter from the Interim Chief Executive of Ofwat, relating to the Water quality…
25 Nov 2021 To cttee Letter from the Wastewater Director of Northumbrian Water Limited, relating to …
4 Nov 2021 To cttee Letter from the Northumbrian Water Chief Executive, relating to the 13 October …
4 Nov 2021 To cttee Letter from the Severn Trent Plc Chief Executive, relating to the 13 October Wa…
26 Oct 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural…
14 Oct 2021 To cttee Letter from the Leader of Herefordshire Council, concerning water quality in ri…
16 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing, relating to the Water quality in…
9 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the Environment Agency Chief Executive, relating to the Water quali…
9 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the Acting CEO of Highways England, relating to the Water quality i…
9 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from the Interim Chief Executive of Ofwat, relating to the Water quality…
21 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from the Acting CEO of Highways England, relating to the Water quality i…