The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced on Friday that water companies will have to invest £56bn in capital investment over the next 25 years in a bid to tackle pollution. Companies will also have to improve how they manage all sewage overflows discharged next to bathing waters by 2035 and improve 75 percent of overflows in prime natural locations. The government claimed it was introducing the “toughest targets ever”, but Labor branded the plan weak and said it would not stop water companies treating Britain’s beaches and rivers like “open sewers”. The Lib Dems also ridiculed Defra’s claim, saying the new deadlines were more than a decade away and did nothing to tackle the water company’s bonuses and profits. The party also estimated that by 2030 there would still be 325,000 landfills of sewage a year in Britain’s waterways under the “fragile” new plan, only a small reduction on current levels. “This government plan is a license to pump sewage onto our beaches and into our precious rivers and lakes,” said Tim Farron, the Lib Dems’ environment spokesman. He added: “By the time these weak targets come into force, our beaches will be filled with disgusting sewage, more otters will be poisoned and our children will still be swimming in dangerous waters.” The plan also means taxpayers will largely pay for new infrastructure improvements, the Lib Dems say – despite soaring bonuses for water company bosses in recent years. The plan published by Defra says water bill “impacts” from the additional investment will start from 2025. “Modeled bill increases will start in 2025 and average £12 between 2025 and 2030”. Farron – who has called for the water company’s bonuses to be banned – said it was “a cruel joke”. He added: “The government is going to increase water bills to pay for cleaning up the mess the water companies are creating. While they’re rolling in the cash, we’re swimming in the sewage – the whole thing stinks.” Previous analysis by the party found that the average bonus of water company executives rose by almost a fifth (18 per cent) last year. The average annual bonus now stands at £670,000. Labor has estimated that Britain could still face another 4.8 million sewage spills between now and 2035, based on last year’s figures. Jim McMahon, shadow environment secretary, said: “This document is neither a plan nor a plan to eliminate the discharge of sewage into our natural environment.” He added: “Britain deserves better than a zombie Tory government who are happy for our country to be treated like an open sewer.” The government plan published on Friday imposed a new target for sewage discharges – regardless of location – by 2050. Defra said it was part of the plan to invest £56 billion in better infrastructure and water quality over the next 25 years. Environment secretary George Eustice claimed it was “the first government to take action to end the environmental damage caused by sewage leaks”. He added: “Water companies should invest to stop unacceptable sewage leaks so our rivers and coasts are better protected than ever before.” However, the Defra plan says the number of sewage discharges will only fall by 44,000 by 2030, meaning there will still be 325,000 discharges in 2030. Tory MP Philip Dunne, chairman of the environmental scrutiny committee, welcomed the plan – particularly a new target to ensure 100 per cent of overflows have screens installed by next year. Dunne said firm action is vital if conditions are breached. The Independent revealed earlier this week that all sewage companies in England and Wales have failed to meet their targets for tackling pollution or sewage flooding. The 11 biggest companies monitored by regulator Ofwat together face tens of millions of pounds in financial penalties for failings over the past year amid growing furor over pollution. Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water at more than 50 of Britain’s beaches in recent weeks as water companies continue to pump sewage into the sea. Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage has created an interactive map of the UK coastline showing pollution risk warnings. Boris Johnson’s father Stanley and leading campaigner Feargal Sharkey have both blamed Brexit for causing the water pollution problem. They argued that the UK leaving the EU made it less likely that Britain would have good regulatory oversight of water companies. Earlier this week, three French MEPs accused the UK of putting fishermen’s livelihoods and public health at risk by pushing sewage into the English Channel, accusing Britain of “repeated negligence… in managing its sewage”. Meanwhile, Farron accused the government of sneaking out the new plan on a day when attention would be absorbed by rising energy prices. “They’ve taken the concept of ‘take out your trash’ to a whole new level,” he said.
