Defra publishes consultation outcome on storm overflows

Article summary

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the response to its consultation on the government’s new targets to tackle sewage discharge during storms overflows. The consultation set out details of how the government plans to eliminate ecological and public health harm during storms. The consultation was a part of the ‘storm overflows discharge reduction plan’ and received 21,831 responses from individuals and key stakeholder groups, including water companies, charities and consumers. Following the responses, Defra intends to adopt its targets as initially laid out, including eliminating impacts on ecology by 2050, reducing the frequency of discharges to bathing waters to meet Environment Agency spill limits by 2035, and ensuring that overflows do not discharge above an average of 10 rainfall events per year by 2050.