Event: All‑Party Parliamentary Water Group (APPG Water) – Dry Spills Parliamentary Session

Date: November 2023

Location: UK Parliament, Westminster (Hybrid session)

Type of CPD: Policy engagement / regulatory insight / environmental governance

Duration: 1–2 hours (plus preparation and follow‑up)

Summary of the Event

I attended the November 2023 meeting of the All‑Party Parliamentary Water Group (APPG Water), which focused on the issue of dry spills—instances where storm overflows discharge in the absence of rainfall. These events have become a major area of parliamentary scrutiny due to their implications for environmental protection, regulatory compliance and public trust.

The session brought together MPs, peers, Ofwat, the Environment Agency, water companies, NGOs and technology innovators. Discussions centred on the causes of dry spills, monitoring gaps, enforcement expectations, and the need for improved operational practices and transparency.

The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to contribute perspectives on how real‑time monitoring and biological insight can help identify, understand and prevent dry spill events.

Key Themes Covered

• Dry spills and regulatory compliance Causes, frequency, enforcement expectations and implications for PR24.
• Monitoring and data transparency The need for high‑resolution, real‑time data to detect and verify dry spill events.
• Operational performance and asset management Pump failures, infiltration, blockages and system misconfigurations.
• Environmental and public health impacts Microbial contamination, ecological stress and community concerns.
• Storm overflow reform Government and regulatory expectations for reducing spills and improving reporting.
• Innovation and digital transformation The role of advanced sensing, analytics and automation in preventing non‑compliant discharges.