Water UK has published details of the English water companies’ updated strategy to cut storm overflow spills between 2025 and 2050.

The National Storm Overflows Plan provides a national overview of company proposals, and an interactive map detailing the action planned for each individual overflow.

Phase one runs between 2025 and 2030 and will triple the current level of investment to £10.2bn, which Water UK said would fund 9,000 storm overflow improvements, eliminating 150,000 spills per year – including tackling nearly two thirds of spills near bathing sites, and nearly half of spills near conservation areas.

By 2050, the plan would address 325,000 spills per year, and prevent more than 4m discharges. All 14,187 overflows in England will meet or exceed every Government target by 2050.

Water UK called on Ofwat to back the bill increases needed to fund the plan, and on the Government to deliver supportive policy pledges including to end the automatic right of housing developers to connect to overloaded sewers; ban the manufacture and sale of plastic wet wipes; and consult on making water companies statutory consultees on planning applications.