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<p>The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment
Agency (EA) have been working with the water industry to research the occurrence and
transport of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics through wastewater treatment
works as part of the industry-funded Chemical Investigations Programme. Investigations
have been carried out at 10 sites across the country to understand how the different
treatment processes affect the presence and prevalence of particular organisms and
resistance genes. The results are due to be published by UK Water Industry Research
in early 2023. In addition, the EA has completed a study to look at the amounts of
antifungal substances that remain in biosolids as one of the final products of these
wastewater treatments. These results will also be published in early 2023. <br> <br>The
EA has also been working with water companies on chemicals investigations which have
included a range of pharmaceuticals and veterinary medicines discharged from treated
sewage effluent which might contribute to AMR. This work allows the EA to sift and
screen any chemical substance nominated using, where available, hazard data and environmental
monitoring data to prioritise whether a substance may be a possible chemical of concern
in England. Many pharmaceuticals are included on this list. Monitoring also takes
place for a wide range of pharmaceuticals within the water environment using a semi-quantitative
screening methodology.</p><p>A cross-departmental project, Pathogen Surveillance in
Agriculture, Food and the Environment (PATH-SAFE), was established in 2021 to understand
how pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are spread in the environment and
the agri-food system. It brings together DEFRA, the EA, the Food Standards Agency,
Food Standards Scotland, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the UK Health
Security Agency. PATH-SAFE contains a workstream focused on AMR prevalence in three
river catchments to strengthen our understanding of AMR in the environment, including
the relative importance of different sources and potential transmission routes; this
includes wastewater and septic discharges as important likely sources. This work is
due to complete in 2023. Two documents are attached which provide background (Antimicrobial
resistance surveillance pilot site selection and database extension and Framework
for understanding environmental antimicrobial resistance in England).</p><p>The actions
being taken to reduce sewage pollution more generally will have a direct positive
impact on the emergence and spread of resistant microbials. The Storm Overflows Discharge
Reduction plan announced in August of this year sets strict new targets on water companies
to reduce sewage discharges. In addition, we have increased monitoring and transparency
of water companies by increasing the number of storm overflows monitored from 5% in
2016 to almost 90% now monitored, and we will reach 100% cover by end of 2023. This
action has supported the regulators to launch the largest criminal and civil investigations
into water company sewage discharges ever, at over 2200 treatment works, following
new data coming to light as a result of increased monitoring. We are also bringing
forward proposals to increase the maximum fine that water companies face for breaches
of environmental laws.</p>
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