Cost of tackling storm overflow spills rises to £60bn

The forecasted cost of tackling discharges from storm overflows has been raised to £60 billion, up from the £56 billion figure calculated in 2022. This will add an estimated £70 to customer bills by the middle of the century to pay for proposed improvements, according to cost analysis by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The cost hike is a direct result of government expanding the remit of the Storm overflow discharge reduction plan to cover all marine and estuarine waters.