Gagan Mohindra, MP for South West Hertfordshire, kicked off Prime Minister’s Question Time in the House of Commons last month by asking Prime Minister Boris Johnson about protection of the River Chess, which runs through Rickmansworth.
Gagan Monhindra MP addressed the commons asking: “Many MPs are increasingly concerned about reports of partially treated sewage being released into our rivers with knock on health impacts for both humans and animals. Can my Right Honorable Friend reassure this House that the government will actively protect our rivers and streams?”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded: “We fully share concern about sewage overflow into rivers, such as the Chess, and that is why we have set up the Storm Overflows Taskforce to address the matter, working with the water industry regulators and environmental groups, and last month we announced plans for legislation to address this very issue.”
The government announced last month new legal duties on water companies will be included in the Environment Bill to reduce sewage discharged into waterways. The Environment Bill will include new legal duties to tackle sewage discharges into rivers and help waterways.
Three new measures on storm overflows, announced by Defra, will be added by government amendment to the Environment Bill later this year. The Bill will return to Parliament shortly after the Queen’s Speech, with the new legal duties due to be on the statute book by the Autumn.
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