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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that water companies do not discharge sewage during dry spells.

Environment Agency guidance requires that storm overflows are designed so that the they do not spill in dry weather. It is the responsibility of water companies to comply with their permits and to avoid polluting the environment. If overflows operate outside of permit conditions, the Environment Agency has a range of enforcement powers, including criminal prosecution for which there can be unlimited fines.