Of all the things that make me proud to represent Hitchin & Harpenden, one of the most significant is our beautiful natural environment, including our rare chalk streams. Being so close to some of the best countryside in the UK is one of the things that makes it such a joy to live here, and protecting that countryside for future generations is a solemn responsibility that we must all bear, whether through financial support, volunteering work, or just ensuring that our enjoyment of the landscape is respectful and cautious.
That's why I'm delighted to support the £180 million investment that's being fast-tracked to protect our rivers and streams, and which is projected to prevent more than 8,000 sewage spills across England's waterways. It follows the Secretary of State directing water and sewage companies last December to measurably reduce sewage spills over the next year by accelerating commitments and delivering new funding. Examples of measures include investment in AI systems to help manage storm loads, the installation of thousands of new in-sewer monitors to check flows and spot blockages early, the recruitment and training of specialist staff, and accelerated wetland construction programmes.
These new funding commitments are in addition to water companies’ existing £3.1 billion investment into storm overflow improvements for the 2020-25 price review period, as well as their ongoing annual investment to maintain the performance of the existing network. The accelerated improvements, which will be delivered by April 2025, support the targets under the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. This is driving the largest infrastructure investment in water company history, estimated at £60 billion over the next 25 years.
When we say that we want to protect our beautiful environment for the next generation, we mean it. That's why we're making these investments now, so that our waterways are fit for the future - including right here in Hitchin & Harpenden. That means making them cleaner and more sustainable, including through the deployment of new technologies which we can use to catch trends before they become a problem. We should be proud of the fact that, as a country and as a community, we place such emphasis on the importance of environmental conservation; as your MP, I'll continue to fight for more protections and even greater investment in this precious part of our national heritage.
