My Lords, the Government are committed to the private model, supported by strong independent economic regulation—that bit is the key. We have no plans to bring water into public ownership but, equally, holding a near-monopoly licence to provide these services is clearly a privilege and the Government and regulators have high expectations of the behaviour of owners and investors. That is now reflected in the toughest laws that this country has ever had in relation to our water quality.

There are 446 permitted discharge points into the River Thames, of which 34 could be classed as combined sewer overflows (“Sewage Discharges —Sewer Storm Overflow—Water Company” in Table 1). A further 57 sewage treatment works are permitted to make discharges under storm conditions.

The permitted discharges to and within 250 metres of the main River Thames (between source and the Thames Barrier), are listed in Table 1.

The locations of permitted discharges that relate to overflows from sewage pumping stations are listed in Table 2, below. The locations of those pipes which relate to permitted gravity-fed combined sewer overflows are listed in Table 3.

The Little Marlow sewage treatment works discharges into the River Thames via outfalls on the north bank and is known locally as Spade Oak Reach (approximate National Grid Reference: SU 8779 8700). The Environment Agency refers to the site as Little Marlow sewage treatment works outfall.

The Government have no plans to introduce regulations to require the mandatory testing of waterways and rivers as there are already appropriate systems in place. Neither do the Government have any intention to introduce regulations to require water utilities to notify the Environment Agency of pollution incidents, as provision for this is already in place. For discharges to water, such as from sewage treatment works and combined sewer overflows, which are permitted under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (2010), there is a condition within the permits that requires the water company to notify the Environment Agency without delay following the detection of:

any malfunction, breakdown or failure of equipment or techniques, accident, or emission of a substance not controlled by an emission limit which has caused, is causing or may cause significant pollution;

the breach of a limit specified in the permit; or

any significant adverse environmental effects.

Failure to comply with this condition will result in non-compliance with the permit and potential enforcement action.

Following the recent pollution incidents that took place at Little Marlow sewage treatment works, the Environment Agency has installed continuous water quality monitoring equipment on the River Thames downstream of the outfall for the sewage treatment works. This equipment measures ammonia levels, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature. Live data from the monitors are available to members of the public from a dedicated website.

The monitoring equipment alerts Environment Agency incident officers of any unusual readings that indicate the presence of pollution. Should any future pollution occur from Thames Water's Little Marlow works, the Environment Agency will share the information with the local river user groups and event organisers.

The Environment Agency has been working with Public Health England and Wycombe District Council Environmental Health to advise river users of the health risk of events on the Thames.

The Government have no plans to introduce regulations to require the mandatory testing of waterways and rivers as there are already appropriate systems in place. Neither do the Government have any intention to introduce regulations to require water utilities to notify the Environment Agency of pollution incidents, as provision for this is already in place. For discharges to water, such as from sewage treatment works and combined sewer overflows, which are permitted under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (2010), there is a condition within the permits that requires the water company to notify the Environment Agency without delay following the detection of:

any malfunction, breakdown or failure of equipment or techniques, accident, or emission of a substance not controlled by an emission limit which has caused, is causing or may cause significant pollution;

the breach of a limit specified in the permit; or

any significant adverse environmental effects.

Failure to comply with this condition will result in non-compliance with the permit and potential enforcement action.

Following the recent pollution incidents that took place at Little Marlow sewage treatment works, the Environment Agency has installed continuous water quality monitoring equipment on the River Thames downstream of the outfall for the sewage treatment works. This equipment measures ammonia levels, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature. Live data from the monitors are available to members of the public from a dedicated website.

The monitoring equipment alerts Environment Agency incident officers of any unusual readings that indicate the presence of pollution. Should any future pollution occur from Thames Water's Little Marlow works, the Environment Agency will share the information with the local river user groups and event organisers.

The Environment Agency has been working with Public Health England and Wycombe District Council Environmental Health to advise river users of the health risk of events on the Thames.

The Government have no plans to introduce regulations to require the mandatory testing of waterways and rivers as there are already appropriate systems in place. Neither do the Government have any intention to introduce regulations to require water utilities to notify the Environment Agency of pollution incidents, as provision for this is already in place. For discharges to water, such as from sewage treatment works and combined sewer overflows, which are permitted under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (2010), there is a condition within the permits that requires the water company to notify the Environment Agency without delay following the detection of:

any malfunction, breakdown or failure of equipment or techniques, accident, or emission of a substance not controlled by an emission limit which has caused, is causing or may cause significant pollution;

the breach of a limit specified in the permit; or

any significant adverse environmental effects.

Failure to comply with this condition will result in non-compliance with the permit and potential enforcement action.

Following the recent pollution incidents that took place at Little Marlow sewage treatment works, the Environment Agency has installed continuous water quality monitoring equipment on the River Thames downstream of the outfall for the sewage treatment works. This equipment measures ammonia levels, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature. Live data from the monitors are available to members of the public from a dedicated website.

The monitoring equipment alerts Environment Agency incident officers of any unusual readings that indicate the presence of pollution. Should any future pollution occur from Thames Water's Little Marlow works, the Environment Agency will share the information with the local river user groups and event organisers.

The Environment Agency has been working with Public Health England and Wycombe District Council Environmental Health to advise river users of the health risk of events on the Thames.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.

During the period 19-27 April, parts of the treatment process at Little Marlow sewage treatment works failed and sewage was discharged directly into the River Thames. This had passed through the storm tanks so some of the solid excrement had settled out before it was discharged. The Environment Agency asked Thames Water to remove foam and other visible debris from the river.

The Environment Agency met senior managers from Thames Water on 25 April to discuss the incidents at the sewage treatment works. Thames Water produced

a process recovery action plan that includes using tankers to suck sewage foam and debris from the river, litter picking to clear up debris from trees and banks and removing debris caught on the outfall grills. All this work is ongoing as part of the recovery plan.

The River Thames is not designated bathing water so there is no requirement on sewerage operators to inform anyone, other than the Environment Agency, of when they are discharging storm sewage outside of the environmental permit conditions that apply to discharges from the works.

As part of its current investigation into the recent incident, the Environment Agency is seeking information on the recent volumes discharged, when Thames Water officials were first informed of the incident and the number of illegal storm sewage discharges from the sewage treatment works in the past 12 months. It is not appropriate to comment any further at this stage as this could compromise the investigation and any enforcement response.