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 make it her policy to require water companies to become water neutral.

Water neutrality is about enabling development which does not increase the amount of water taken/ abstracted from the environment. Water companies account for the effects of growth, drought and climate change uncertainty on future demand within a Water Resources Management Plan and update this every five years.

The investment through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) is substantial; between 2020 and 2025 it will account for over £5 billion of asset improvements, investigation, monitoring and catchment interventions. Defra, the Environment Agency and Ofwat work with water companies to identify solutions that will improve water courses and prevent further deterioration. Water companies need to meet environmental legislative requirements set out in the Environment Act 2021.

Furthermore, in our Plan for Water we set out how we are working with the Future Homes Hub and Cranfield University to “develop clear guidance on ‘water positive’ or ‘net zero water’ developments and roles for developers and water companies, including water company incentives”. This guidance could be used by Local Authorities and any other organisation that aspires to become water positive.

In our Plan for Water we also set out that we will “support development of Agricultural Water Resources Management Plans through the Water for Food Group initiated by the National Farmers’ Union”. We are working with the agriculture sector and supporting farmers to store more water on their land – launching the second round of the £10 million Water Management Grant to fund more on-farm reservoirs and better irrigation equipment - and reducing planning barriers to small reservoirs.