Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Bill

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. In December, the Government published ““Water for Life””. The White Paper set out many of the challenges facing the water sector. These challenges are not just about how much water we have available now and in the future; they range from the environmental impact of water management to the means by which we deal with waste water and, not least, the issue of affordability. There have been dramatic improvements in the health of many of our rivers, but more needs to be done. The House will recall that the Government have invested £92 million to improve our rivers and waterways. Despite that, however, over-abstraction and pollution of our rivers, lakes and streams means that only a quarter of our water bodies are fully functioning ecosystems. The water and sewerage sectors have, though, made significant progress. More than £90 billion has been invested in the 22 years since privatisation to reduce the water industry's impact on the natural environment and to continue to deliver high-quality drinking water while keeping water bills generally affordable. It is also worth noting that last year, despite the driest spring on record, there were no hosepipe bans, which was testament to the 36% reduction in leakage achieved by the industry since privatisation.