Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December to Question 97784, on Sewers: Waste Disposal, if she will take steps to require developers to pay for sewer upgrades to offset any potential impact of developments on (a) water quality and (b) flood risk.

The Government already has a process in place to ensure developers offset their impact on water quality in sites protected under the Habitats Regulations 2017. Through a Habitats Regulations Assessment, developers must mitigate the impact of all plans and projects that have the potential to adversely impact such sites due to nutrient pollution. This includes impacts on water quality.

In addition, the review for making sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) mandatory in new developments in England was published on 10 January 2023. The Government has accepted the review’s recommendations and will now look at how best to implement. Fewer new connections to sewers through introducing more SuDS will reduce the pressures on the sewers, reducing surface water and sewer flood risk, discharges from storm overflows and pollution.