Water UK response to Environmental Audit Committee report

Responding to the publication of the Environmental Audit Committee report on river quality, a Water UK spokesperson said:

“We support the Committee’s urgent call for action to improve the health of England’s rivers. Many of the recommendations mirror proposals set out in our recent 21st Century Rivers report, which calls for Government, regulators, water companies, agriculture, and other sectors to come together and create a comprehensive national plan to transform our rivers.

“Now is the time to have an honest conversation about whether the current approach is adequate for addressing the challenges faced by our environment, which is why we particularly support the Committee’s call for regulators to take a long-term focus.

“The Committee is also right to emphasise the need for further investment to eliminate harm from storm overflows and treatment works.  Water companies want to invest more and are pushing the Government to encourage the economic regulator, Ofwat, to enable this increased spending over the next decade.”