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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the trial plant results indicating inconsistent removal of bacteria and total dissolved solids, and what implications this has for water quality and public confidence in the proposed scheme.

Southern Water’s water recycling pilot plant was developed to provide evidence in support of, and to inform, Southern Water’s final permit application.

The Environment Agency (EA) will determine what permitting standards are required for environmental protection in line with existing legislation.

The EA will expect Southern Water to comply with any permit that is agreed to allow them to discharge recycled water into Havant Thicket reservoir.