Severn Trent has again been awarded the highest 4-star status in the Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) for a fifth consecutive year by the Environment Agency. The first time this has ever been achieved.

The 4-star status reflects the company’s commitment to the environment, having consistently reached tightening targets by achieving ‘green’ status overall across seven metrics in the 2023 assessment.

The Environment Agency use the EPA as a tool to compare environmental performance across water companies in England, with Severn Trent firm industry leaders.

Liv Garfield, Severn Trent CEO said: “Our customers want to know that we’re getting it right when it comes to caring for the environment, and this recognition again reflects that promise and commitment.  While we welcome the tougher measures year on year to drive continued improvements there’s always more to be done, and we’re doing it. 

“Continued investment, an accelerated spills reduction programme, bold river commitments, and an ambition to net zero is just some of what helps demonstrate to our customers that we’re moving further and faster than anyone else when it comes to doing right by the environment.”

Severn Trent has recently had its five-year business plan rated as ‘Outstanding’, that includes an additional c£2 billion investment to accelerate and go even quicker to improve river quality, including c£1.2bn on storm overflows.

This year alone, £450m is being invested at 900 Midlands’ locations to reduce spills by 20% a year when once complete - with work well underway.

Over the last year, Severn Trent has:

·       Announced it’s set to invest £4.4bn over 2,472 overflows as part of its Storm Overflow Action Plan;

• Kicked off an accelerated £450m programme to reduce spills from 900 storm overflows by the end of 2024;
• Got its current impact on rivers is at 14% (86% down to other factors such as agriculture), and remaining on track to get to near zero impact by 2030;
• Achieved it’s lowest ever leakage levels is on track to achieve our commitment to reduce leakage by 15% by 2025 and 50% by 2045;
• Had no serious pollutions as defined by the EA;
• Over 12,000 hectares of biodiversity improved;
• Invested £40 million in transforming one of our largest sites, Strongford, to be a Net Zero Hub.

Read the full report from the Environment Agency here