To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve water quality in (a) Enfield North Constituency, (b) the London Borough of Enfield, and (c) London.
Answered on
22 February 2024
Nationally, the Government published the Plan for Water in April 2023 – our comprehensive strategy for managing our water environment, including our rivers. It brings together the significant steps we have already taken with a suite of new policy actions. It aims to change the way that we manage water, improve water quality, and continue to secure our water supply.
The Environment Agency works with water companies to develop and ensure investment in water quality improvements. Thames Water have delivered several actions relating to river water quality in Enfield. These have included investigations to better understand the impact of storm overflows from the sewerage system in the Pymmes Brook catchment, enhanced flow and discharge monitoring at Deephams wastewater treatment works and actions aiming to reduce the levels of pesticides and nitrates in Thames Water’s public water supply intakes. The Environment Agency also works closely with the council and the sewerage undertaker, Thames Water Utilities, to help identify and resolve pollution from misconnections in Enfield’s rivers.
Defra and the Environment Agency partner and support local catchment partnerships, Local Authorities and other organisations such as Thames 21 to help protect and restore London’s water and flood plains. This includes a major wetland restoration project in Enfield connecting with the extensive reforestation project to restore Enfield Chase and Salmon’s Brook.