UK 'failing to keep up with EU' on regulation of water pollution

The UK is "falling behind" on sewage pollution regulation as the EU tightens its rules to clean up Europe's waterways.

- Helena Horton Ajit Niranjan

EU member states agreed yesterday to update the urban waste water treatment (UWWT) directive to strengthen rules to clean up sewage and chemical pollution from treatment plants. European countries will have to update their sewage systems and treatment plants so that large amounts of human waste and chemicals are removed from rivers by a deadline of 2035. The companies deemed responsible will be required to pay for the infrastructure changes.

Meanwhile, the UK still has in place the 1991 UWWT directive legislation brought into EU law when the UK was still a member. UK water companies follow its rules, such as not allowing sewage to spill from storm overflows into rivers except under exceptional circumstances.