This week James returned to the issue of water management as the Public Accounts Committee took evidence from three water companies - Thames Water, Wessex Water, and Yorkshire Water.
James challenged the companies on their performance on discharge of sewage into rivers. According to figures published in The Guardian across the industry, water firms discharged raw sewage into England's rivers 200,000 times in 2019. James questioned whether this level of discharge met the test that they should only happen in exceptional circumstances. He praised the transparency that the Rivers Trust has brought to this issue with its interactive map showing discharges by area. You can look at your local area here https://arcg.is/1meaXq
He raised the state of chalk streams and the need for more focus on their protection and enhancement. He also pressed the industry on their efforts to encourage consumers to use less water and to treat it as a precious resources.
Finally, he asked about the industry's plans to be net zero by 2030 and was impressed by the plans the sector has to adapt and reduce its impact.
You can read the transcript of the hearing here https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/742/html/
