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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reform water companies regulation in response to sewage pollution.

The Government is committed to tackling the root causes of sewage pollution. As part of this, we will ensure that legislation, the regulatory framework and funding support ‘pre-pipe’ solutions, aimed at reducing the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the sewerage system. This includes better management of our rainwater – collecting it for reuse and diverting it away from the sewers using sustainable drainage systems – and measures to tackle sewer misuse.

The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good, with a renewed focus on securing a fair deal for customers, investors and the environment, to rebuild trust and secure a water system that works for everyone.

Furthermore, we will end operator self-monitoring, transfer oversight to the new regulator and transition to open monitoring to increase transparency and help restore public trust.