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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 January 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 January 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Water Supply

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government unveils biggest overhaul to water in a generation, published on 19 January 2026, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of households experiencing water disruption each year which will be resolved as a result of her Water White Paper, once implemented.

Answer

The Government’s New Vision for Water sets out our plans to being forward measures specifically designed to improve the resilience of our water infrastructure and minimise disruption for customers.

This includes providing the new, integrated water regulator with powers to conduct ‘no-notice’ inspections to bolster enforcement of the Security and Emergency Measures Direction which requires water companies to be prepared to respond to disruption to water supplies in the first place. In addition, a new Chief Engineer will be embedded in the new regulator to oversee company behaviour, and guide companies to focus on fixing crumbling pipes and treatment works, as part of stronger, prevention-first measures to mitigate future disruption.

Where disruption occurs, the Government has already taken action to update the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, doubling – or more than doubling – compensation levels and adding new standards, to hold companies to account and stand up for customers.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
107644
Session
2024-26
Related items
A New Vision for Water
Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Subjects
Water supply
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk