PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(28 August 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that water companies do not delay (a) housing developments, and (b) commercial developments as a result of a failure to upgrade relevant infrastructure.

Asked by:
Sir Julian Smith (Conservative)

The Government is ensuring water infrastructure supports housing delivery and environmental resilience. Water companies have a statutory duty to maintain secure water supplies and must plan for future housing through their Water Resources Management Plans. A record £104bn is being invested between 2025 and 2030 in the water sector, including nine new reservoirs.

Defra’s Water Delivery Taskforce brings together key partners, including MHCLG, to identify and resolve water constraints that risk delaying development, and to oversee delivery. The Taskforce has already helped unblock 10,000s of homes in Oxford, Cambridge, and North Sussex through targeted interventions and improved coordination.

Answered by:
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