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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with Ofwat to help ensure that water companies deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of pollution incidents with a target of zero serious incidents by 2030.

Our Strategic Policy Statement (SPS) for Ofwat sets clear priorities for the water sector in England. This includes an expectation that Ofwat will challenge water companies to demonstrate how they will achieve zero serious pollution incidents by 2030 and we will continue to work with the regulator to ensure this happens.

The Environment Act 2021 gave Ofwat increased powers to modify water company licence conditions to improve water companies’ performance. This means Ofwat can modify company licenses.