Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 48
48
Accepted
Paragraph: 237
There is nevertheless no reason not to seek rapid and sustained action towards achieving the...
Recommendation
There is nevertheless no reason not to seek rapid and sustained action towards achieving the Act’s requirement for progressive reductions in discharges, through incorporating capital projects into a whole-systems approach which seeks to reduce the overall pressures being placed on aging infrastructure. The Thames Tideway demonstrates that substantial capital projects can be secured without unaffordable bill increases. We recommend that Ministers publish their assessment of every possible option to reduce system pressures on existing infrastructure, while also examining the case for significant capital works, when preparing the statutory report on elimination of storm overflows due by September 2022.
Government response summary AI-generated
Defra has maintained Grant-in-Aid funding for catchment partnerships and will continue to evaluate funding sources to enable coordination of all stakeholders across river catchments. The government highlights existing funding for catchment partnerships and their success in attracting additional funding.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
237
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The statutory report on the elimination of storm overflows will examine the case for significant capital works and where elimination may be the correct approach, while accepting cost limitations to replicating this approach at every overflow. It will also examine the main options for reducing pressures on existing infrastructure as part of the overall ambition to progressively reduce the harm caused. This will be consulted on in Spring 2022 and will include ambitious targets to reduce storm overflow discharges.
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