We asked the witnesses about water companies’ current environmental performance. Ofwat and the EA are taking enforcement action against every wastewater company for their management of combined sewer overflows. Water quality pollution incidents have increased.47 WildFish highlighted failures in regulation in its written submission, while in its written submission the Office for Environmental Protection set out failures to comply with environmental law by Defra, the EA and Ofwat.48 The EA told...

We asked the witnesses about water companies’ current environmental performance. Ofwat and the EA are taking enforcement action against every wastewater company for their management of combined sewer overflows. Water quality pollution incidents have increased.47 WildFish highlighted failures in regulation in its written submission, while in its written submission the Office for Environmental Protection set out failures to comply with environmental law by Defra, the EA and Ofwat.48 The EA told us that the sector will be spending around £12 billion on storm overflows in the next five years, but this will only fix 44% of the overflows, and Defra Type: conclusion | Number: 17 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: The Government recognises the concerns about water companies’ current environmental performance. The EA and Ofwat are taking enforcement action against every wastewater company for their management of combined sewer overflows. The Government is committed to holdi