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<p>Working with water companies, the Environment Agency has concluded a programme
to install Event Duration Monitors (EDM) on the vast majority of storm overflows,
just over 80% of overflows in England, by the end of 2020. These monitors provide
a robust and consistent way of monitoring how often and for how long storm overflows
are used. By the end of 2023, the remaining number will be monitored.</p><p>Our landmark
Environment Act places a direct duty on Water Companies and the Environment Agency
to publish this sewage discharge data, building on the commitments to openness and
transparency made through the Defra led Storm Overflows taskforce. This data was published
for the first time in March 2021 for data in 2020.</p><p>The Environment Act also
goes further, requiring water companies to monitor both the upstream and downstream
impacts of their assets and to notify of spills in near real time (within 1 hour).
The government will be bringing forward implementing legislation in respect of these
duties in due course. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, also legislated
for in the Environment Act, is due to be published in September 2022.</p><p>It will
be up to individual water companies to take account of the Storm Overflows Discharge
Reduction Plan and other guidance when considering specific local projects to be included
as part of their business plans.</p>
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