Government and the water regulator Ofwat broke law on sewage, says watchdog

Published

2 months ago

December 17, 2024

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The government and the water regulator broke the law by allowing sewage to be discharged outside of “exceptional circumstances”, according to the green watchdog.

Outlets called combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are only meant to be opened on rare occasions, such as during very heavy rain to stop sewage flooding back into homes and businesses.

But the Office for Environmental Protection said environment department Defra, water regulator Ofwat and the Environment Agency failed to give guidance, permits and enforcement for the use of CSOs in line with the law.

The findings come in a crucial week for the water industry.

Britain’s largest company Thames Water is in court today trying to get approval for a £3bn loan to stop it running out of cash, and on Thursday Ofwat will give its final verdict on how much bills can increase.

Campaigners who made the complaint to the green watchdog said it showed pollution “plaguing” rivers would not be happening if the various bodies were doing their jobs properly.

Sewage discharges can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever for swimmers, as well as harming wildlife and ecosystems.

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has sent notices on what action must be taken to remedy the situation.

The various bodies have two months to respond, but a failure to take action could see them taken to court.

“The core issue identified in our investigation is the circumstances in which the regulatory system allows untreated sewage discharges to take place,” said Helen Venn, the OEP’s chief regulatory officer.

“We interpret the law to mean that they should generally be permitted only in exceptional circumstances, such as during unusually heavy rainfall,” added Ms Venn.

“This is unless an assessment of the CSO concludes that the costs to address the issue would be disproportionate to the benefits gained.

“While the public authorities are now taking steps to ensure their approaches are aligned and reflective of the law, we have found that this has not always been the case.”

The OEP investigation did not include overflows at sewage treatment works – where the Environment Agency is now investigating companies for potential failures.

In response to the findings, an Ofwat spokesperson said it was “actively taking steps to remedy the issues”.

“We will continue to prioritise our enforcement investigation into all wastewater companies which started in 2021 to ensure that companies are meeting their environmental obligations,” they said.

A Labour spokesperson said “catastrophic policies” by the Tories had “left record levels of sewage pollution in Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas”.

They said they had now acted “decisively” to put water firms in special measures, with new powers to ban bonuses and bring back criminal charges.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said it had “made significant progress in addressing the issues identified by the OEP and are consulting on updates to our permitting approach and regulatory framework for storm overflows”.

Politics

Starmer says ‘US is right’ about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Published

2 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Starmer says 'US is right' about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Sir Keir Starmer has said the United States “is right” about the UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence and security.

The prime minister, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, said he is clear Britain “will take a leading responsibility” in protecting the continent.

“Instability in Europe always washes up on our shores,” he said.

“And this is a generational moment. I’ve been saying for some time that we Europeans – including the United Kingdom – have to do more for our defence and security. The US is right about that.”

He added “we can’t cling to the comforts of the past” as it is “time to take responsibility for our security”.

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Donald Trump sparked an emergency meeting of European leaders this week after he said European NATO members should spend more on defence, while the US should spend less.

Sir Keir has said he will set out a path for the UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, up from the current 2.3%, but has not indicated when that will be.

It is believed he may announce the details when he visits Mr Trump in Washington DC on Thursday, bringing forward the announcement that was expected in the spring when a defence spending review is published.

The prime minister reiterated the UK will “play our role” if required in Ukraine following a peace agreement after he earlier this week said the UK would send troops to be part of a peacekeeping force.

However, his comments caused a row with Germany and Italy who said it was premature to commit to boots on the ground, although France agreed with the UK.

Sir Keir said: “As we enter a new phase in this conflict, we must now deepen our solidarity even further.”

He added: “There can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine.

“And the people of Ukraine must have long-term security.”

This week has seen US officials meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine – which has been met with indignation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as none of his team were invited.

No Europeans were invited either, sparking concern the US is pandering to Vladimir Putin.

Sir Keir has promised Mr Zelenskyy he will make the case for safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty when he meets with Mr Trump, who has called the Ukrainian president a dictator.

Mr Trump also said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who will visit the White House too this week, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.

Politics

Starmer announces £200m for Grangemouth

Published

4 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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The prime minister has announced £200m for Grangemouth ahead of the closure of Scotland’s last oil refinery.

Sir Keir Starmer, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference on Sunday, said the cash would come from the National Wealth Fund for an “investment in Scotland’s industrial future”.

Grangemouth oil refinery, on the banks of the Firth of Forth, is set to cease operation this summer and transition into an import terminal, making 400 workers redundant.

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Sir Keir said: “We will grasp the opportunities at Grangemouth, work alongside partners to develop viable proposals, team up with business to get new industries off the ground and to attract private investors into the partnership we need.

“We will allocate £200m from the National Wealth Fund for investment in Grangemouth.”

The money comes on top of a £100m “growth plan” already in place for the area.

Scotland’s first minister, the SNP’s John Swinney, welcomed the announcement and said it is “important that the Scottish and UK governments work together on securing the future for the workforce”.

Sir Keir said the new investment will be a partnership with the private sector, and he is expecting three times the amount the government is putting in to come from private investors.

The prime minister said he believes the transition to clean energy is a “golden opportunity for Britain, especially for Scotland”, and is essential for national security as it “gets Putin’s boots off our throat”.

However, he said oil and gas are also “vital for our security” so will be “part of the future of Scotland for decades to come”.

As well as the investment in Grangemouth’s future, Sir Keir said every person made redundant will get 18 months full pay and a skills and training offer “backed up with up to £10m”.

Any business in Grangemouth that takes on those workers will get National Insurance relief, he also said.

Petroineos, which owns Grangemouth, announced last September it was to close Grangemouth by this summer because it was unable to compete with sites in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The refinery is understood to have been losing about £395,000 a day when it made the announcement and was on course to lose about £153m this year.

The company said the decision would “safeguard fuel supply for Scotland” by converting the site into a terminal able to import petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene into Scotland.

However, it said that would only need a workforce of fewer than 100 employees.

Petroineos announced its intention to close the plant in November 2023 but union leaders had hoped it could remain open for longer to provide time for a green alternative to be established there.