Water Companies Leaks and Wastage 2020-10-15
2020-10-15
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows the publication of an Environment Agency report showing poor water company ratings and significant leakage issues. Morris is concerned about transparency in assessing water companies' progress on leak reduction.
If he will make it his policy to publish an annual league table to assess water companies' performance on tackling water leaks and wastage, given the recent reports of poor performance by many companies.
Water company performance data, including on leakage, is already published annually on the DiscoverWater website, and companies provide data to the Environment Agency on water losses. I encourage hon. Members to visit the DiscoverWater website.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to publishing a league table was not directly addressed
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
A recent Environment Agency report found that four out of nine water companies are now rated as poor or requiring improvement, with daily losses through leakage at 3 billion litres. Hopkins raises concerns about the impact on the environment and customers' affordability.
Does the Minister agree that losing 3 billion litres of water a day through leakage is wholly unacceptable? Are her Government reconsidering the privatisation of water companies that have damaged the environment and left customers with unaffordable bills?
Our 2018 water conservation report sets out an ambitious target of a 50% reduction in leakage by 2050. The water companies have made progress towards this, but quite clearly, they need to do a great deal more. On water quality, in our 25-year environment plan, we aim to bring three quarters of our waters as close to their natural state as possible.
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Assessment & feedback
Reconsideration of privatisation was not directly addressed
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Morris references a Public Accounts Committee report stating that post-privatisation leakage reduction was followed by a decade of complacency. He questions whether the government is effectively holding water companies accountable.
Does the Minister agree that the Government are failing to hold the water companies to account over their inability to deal with this level of leakage, given the reported complacency?
The hon. Gentleman raises a pertinent point, but the 2019 price review set out a £51 billion five-year investment package, and water companies committed to reducing leakage by 16% by 2025.
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Assessment & feedback
Acknowledgment of government's oversight was not directly addressed
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
A National Audit Office study indicates that parts of England may face water shortages by 2040. Peacock questions whether the government's 50% leakage reduction target is adequate.
Does the Minister agree that the targets set by the Department to cut water leakage in half by 2050 will be too little, too late to keep our taps running?
I have already mentioned that target of a 50% leakage reduction, but that is just one of many measures. There is a whole raft of measures that we are working towards.
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Assessment & feedback
Concern about the adequacy of current targets was not directly addressed
Response accuracy