Our response to the Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge announced to halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade.
- Jul 27, 2025
- 2 min read
Date: 28th July 2025
STOP PRESS
This statement is our response to the Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge announced to halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade.
Government Press release - Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030: Sewage pollution from water companies will be cut in half by the end of the decade, the Environment Secretary Steve Reed will pledge today (Sunday 20 July).
STATEMENT - 27th July 2025
River Mole River Watch Responds to Government Sewage Pledge
River Mole River Watch (RMRW) welcomes Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge to halve sewage pollution by 2030—a vital step in recognising the scale of the UK’s river pollution crisis.
While the £104 billion investment to overhaul the water network is ambitious, RMRW warns that success depends on transparency, accountability, and credible delivery. The Government has yet to clarify where the funding will come from, how investors will be repaid, or how projects will be enforced—especially given Thames Water’s financial instability and history of project delays. RMRW also urges the Government to use rainfall-adjusted multi-year averages for storm overflow targets, warning that current plans based on a single year’s data are likely to be misleading.
Locally, the Mole Catchment is under severe pressure, with storm overflows spilling at more than double the national average in 2024. Phosphorus pollution, a key problem in the Mole, must be tackled across all treatment works—not just the largest—and with tighter limits in summer. RMRW supports nature-based solutions like SuDS and wetlands, but calls for urgent implementation, deadlines, and penalties for non-delivery.
Crucially, the Government must commit to achieving “Good Ecological Status” in line with legal obligations under the Water Framework Directive.
River Mole River Watch calls for:
Full transparency on funding and delivery.
Realistic storm overflow targets.
Stronger phosphorus controls.
Enforceable action on Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) and wetlands.
A legal commitment to clean, ecologically healthy rivers.
We will continue to monitor and hold authorities to account—for the River Mole and future generations. To read our full response please download the PDF here:
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