Water firms told to invest £56bn in tackling sewage spills over next 25 years

Michael Holder
clock • 5 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

But government's new Storm Overflows Discharge Plan faces criticism for failing to force a complete end to sewage discharges

Water companies must invest a collective £56bn towards tackling sewage spills and improving environmental practices over the next 25 years in addition to facing the "toughest ever" pollution targets, as...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Policy

Can the EU Industrial Accelerator Act spark Europe's green industrial revolution?

Can the EU Industrial Accelerator Act spark Europe's green industrial revolution?

Clean tech and low-carbon materials are at the heart of proposals to increase manufacturing's share of EU GDP to 20 per cent by 2035 - but do the plans go far enough?

Stuart Stone
clock 05 March 2026 • 8 min read
MPs urge government to put fairness at heart of Seventh Carbon Budget

MPs urge government to put fairness at heart of Seventh Carbon Budget

Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee calls on government to ensure delivery of next Carbon Budget is affordable, convenient, and attractive to the public

clock 04 March 2026 • 7 min read
The disconnect between government and public perception risks undermining faith in net zero

The disconnect between government and public perception risks undermining faith in net zero

When it comes to clean technologies such as EVs and heat pumps, the government must meet public opinion where it is, not where they think it ought to be, writes Chris Annous from More in Common

Chris Annous, More in Common UK
clock 02 March 2026 • 4 min read