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Efra Committee report supports positions adopted by Water UK
A report published today (26 April) by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, scrutinising the implementation of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, supports many of the positions adopted by Water UK in its evidence to the Committee.
This includes the need to have stronger requirements for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in new developments, the importance of completing the transfer to the water companies of private sewers and the significant challenge of customer debt in rented properties.
The Efra Committee has acknowledged the importance of SuDS systems in new property developments and the need to place greater responsibilities on developers to use sustainable methods to reduce negative impacts such as potential flooding and pollutants entering the water system.
The Committee’s report also calls for measures in the Act to be commenced to enable the automatic transfer to water and sewerage companies of private sewers, lateral drains and pumping stations built since July 2011. This is essential to ensure water companies are able to manage sewer flows, and therefore create long-term resilience in our sewerage network.
The report has also recognised the challenges in tackling customer debt at rented properties. Customers pay an extra £21 a year on average to cover those bills that remain unpaid, and an estimated 80% of bad debt arises from tenants. In order to combat this issue, the water industry has created Landlord TAP, a website providing landlords and managing agents of properties in England and Wales a quick and easy way to provide water companies with details of tenants and those responsible for the payment of bills.
Efra Committee Report - Post-legislative scrutiny: Flood and Water Management Act 2010
Water UK Communications
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