Flood and Water Management Bill published
Communities, homes and businesses will be better protected from the risk of flooding and water shortages in future under plans set out in the Flood and Water Management Bill published by Defra today.
The Bill addresses many of the recommendations from Sir Michael Pitt’s review of the summer 2007 floods. It will give the authorities that manage flood risk better powers to do so, putting local authorities in charge of dealing with local flood risk and the Environment Agency in charge of overseeing flooding and coastal erosion nationally.
In addition to the provisions in the Bill, the Government is providing more funding than ever before for maintenance of traditional flood defences to protect communities around the country.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said:
“We must do everything we can to try to reduce the chances of something like the 2007 floods happening again, although we know that in future climate change will bring more extreme weather including heavier rain, and we’ve seen from the weather in the last couple of weeks that the risk of flooding is very real.
“Sir Michael Pitt’s report recommended important changes – the Flood and Water Management Bill will implement the most important of these to provide better management of flood risk, clarify responsibilities, protect water supplies, and safeguard community groups from unaffordable rises in water bills.”
The measures in the Bill will build on the action the Government has taken since the devastating floods of summer 2007 to ensure that the five million people living in flood risk areas around the country are better protected.
Further information
Page last modified: 19 November 2009
Page published: 19 November 2009