UK minister defends plan to stop sewage spillover

Newswire

London: Britain’s environment minister this week defended government plans to tackle sewage releases into rivers and sea, after opposition parties and environmentalists slammed the measures as insufficient and costly for consumers.

Recent discharges of sewage into popular river and sea bathing areas have prompted widespread horror among the public, as well as alarm over waters shared with the EU.

The European Commission said it will soon reply to complaints received from MEPs about British sewage allegedly being poured into waters shared with the EU.

The UK government on Friday announced the “toughest targets ever” for water companies, requiring them to invest £56 billion ($66 billion) over 25 years to improve infrastructure such as storm overflows.