Water industry promises ?22bn of environmental investment, funded by rising bills

The Environment Agency has secured a commitment to carry out 24,000 actions over the next five yearsWater companies must clean up the environment and reduce pollution in what the Environment Agency (EA) says is the biggest investment in protecting rivers and seas since privatisation.The agency has secured a commitment from the privatised water industry to carry out 24,000 targeted actions in a ?22bn investment in the environment, according to details of the final water industry national environment programme for the next five years. But the investment will be paid for by customers in bill rises over the same time.Reducing the amount of water abstracted, leading to an estimated 60m litres of water being retained in the environment every day.Protecting and enhancing of 13,500 km of rivers.Upgrading 2,350 storm overflows leading to an estimated annual reduction of sewage spills by 85,000 annually.Improving 21 newly designated bathing water sites across England.Reducing phosphorus inputs to the environment at more than 800 sewage treatment works.Installing 3,500 monitors at emergency overflows sites. Continue reading...