Water companies will be legally required to produce pollution reduction plans for the first time, using detailed instructions published by Defra.
Mandatory requirements, issued on 8 January 2026, now require water companies to publish annual pollution-cutting plans.
Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs) were previously voluntary, with only some water companies providing them. Through powers in the Water (Special Measures) Act, they will now be mandatory and must be made public, creating unprecedented transparency and accountability in the sector.
Failure to publish compliant plans by April 2026 will be a criminal offence for both companies and their chief executives.
James Stevens, Director for Cities, Home Builders Federation (HBF) says: “Mandatory pollution reduction plans should be beneficial to the industry in the long run by reducing: a) the need for mitigation for issues like nutrient neutrality; b) reduce the volume of mitigation required to achieve nutrient neutrality; and c) reduce incidences of local authorities objecting to residential schemes on the grounds that sewerage capacity is insufficient thereby increasing the risk of sewerage overflows into sensitive habitats. "