§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Government policy on sewage treatment of water released into inland waters. [43547]
§ Angela EagleThe Government require sewage discharges to inland waters to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. This means that all relevant discharges to inland waters serving a population equivalent of 15,000 or more must receive at least secondary treatment by 2000. Those serving between 2000 and 15,000 population equivalent must reach this standard by 2005. Discharges below 2000 population equivalent must receive "appropriate treatment" by 2005. In fact the vast majority of discharges of all sizes to inland waters already receive at least secondary treatment.
Discharges to sensitive areas designated under the Directive must receive more stringent treatment, typically tertiary treatment to remove nutrients, by the end of 1998. The Government intend to set out more fully its policy on this and related matters, first in its response to the second report of the Environment sub-committee of the House of Commons Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, due shortly and, later in the summer, in guidance to the Director General of OFWAT on priorities for investment in environmental improvement within the current Periodic Review of water company price limits.