Consultation outcome

Continuous water quality monitoring and event duration monitoring

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Detail of outcome

We received 40 responses to the consultation. We thank all respondents for their participation.

As a result of the responses received, we will be making updates to the technical guidance as outlined in the government response.


Original consultation

Summary

Seeking views on the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflows and final effluent discharges into watercourses.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

The Environment Act 2021 introduced requirements for sewerage undertakers to:

  • monitor sewerage assets and the impact they have on their local environment, and publish data from those monitors
  • publish data from event duration monitors within an hour of operation

We are seeking views from specialised invited stakeholders on technical proposals to require water companies to carry out continuous water quality monitoring. This will include installing water quality monitors at all sewerage assets at which it is possible to do so. 

We are also seeking views on our plans to require water companies to publish data in near-real time, showing when and for how long storm overflow discharges occur.

As this is a technical consultation, responses will be considered from invited consultees. If you have any questions about the consultation, but you have not been invited to contribute, email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk for assistance.

Documents

Continuous water quality monitoring and event duration monitoring - consultation document

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Continuous water quality monitoring programme - provisional technical guidance for sewerage undertakers

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 12 April 2023
Last updated 14 September 2023 + show all updates
  1. We've added the summary of responses and government response.

  2. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page