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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people who fall ill from sewage pollution-related causes in Cornwall.

We are putting water companies under special measures through our landmark Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act has introduced new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against law breakers and made it mandatory for water companies to publish plans to reduce pollution incidents.

The upcoming Progress Report on the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan (SODRP), scheduled for publication later this year, will include assessment of South West Water’s progress toward the Plan’s Human Health (bathing water) target. The Plan also priorities action at 81 sites impacting bathing water in Cornwall, with improvements phased by 2030.

As part of Price Review 24 (2025-2030), South West Water will be investing £764 million to reduce the use of storm overflows, which will see an expected 62% reduction in storm overflow spills compared to its performance in 2023-24.

The Independent Water Commission will recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system and clean up our waterways for good.