Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 35
35
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 191
We note that the Environment Agency does not consider any use of storm overflows to...
Recommendation
We note that the Environment Agency does not consider any use of storm overflows to be a pollution incident: discharges from overflows are classed as permitted discharges as long as they comply with the terms of the relevant permit. This is unlikely to incentivise overall reductions in discharges. We recommend that the 124 Water quality in rivers Environment Agency reclassify significant sewage spills from storm overflows into watercourses in dry weather as pollution incidents, irrespective of permit compliance.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response from the Department for Transport and National Highways addresses road funding and sustainability strategy, completely failing to engage with the recommendation about reclassifying storm overflow sewage spills.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
191
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
The Government agrees with this recommendation. The Environment Agency already records storm overflows operating in dry weather as pollution incidents.
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