The Government has published its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan setting stringent new targets to protect people and the environment. This will require water companies to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in water company history.

Water companies will have to achieve the following targets set out in the plan:

• by 2035, water companies will have to improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water; and improve 75% of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites
• by 2050, this will apply to all remaining storm overflows covered by our targets, regardless of location

Overflows that are causing the most harm will be addressed first to make the biggest difference as quickly as possible, and water companies will be expected to consider nature-based solutions in their planning.

The government will review the plan in 2027 to consider both where it can go further, taking account of innovation and efficiencies, and how the programme is impacting bills.

The plan frontloads action in particularly important and sensitive areas including designated bathing waters and high priority ecological sites such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and chalk streams.

The plan also sets out the government’s wider expectations for the water industry, to ensure their infrastructure keeps pace with increasing external pressures, such as urban growth and climate change. Water companies are expected to prioritise nature-based solutions, carbon reduction and biodiversity net gain in their planning.

In addition, the plan includes a report on the feasibility of eliminating discharges from storm overflows.

Click here to download the plan in full