This year, once again, we saw Southern Water fall far short of the environmental standards it is expected to meet.
We all saw the images over the summer of untreated sewage being discharged into the sea around the coast, across dozens of beaches in England and Wales.
But in July, the Environment Agency’s 2021 report of water companies’ environmental performance awarded Southern Water a one-star rating – the lowest level possible – and ranked it as the worst performing company for sewage pollution incidents per 10,000km of sewer, at 94.
And this will come as no surprise to us all, after Southern Water was handed a record £90m fine last year for 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges between 2010 and 2015.
The Chair of the Environment Agency said herself, “For years people have seen executives and investors handsomely rewarded while the environment pays the price.” Labour agrees.
That’s why we will introduce larger fines and prison sentences for Chief Executives and Board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents.
This government has failed to protect Portsmouth’s natural environment, with over 39 days’ worth of raw sewage once again dumped into Portsmouth South’s coastline alone.
Families across Portsmouth should be able to just enjoy where they live, work or holiday, without having to worrying about encountering filthy sewage as a result of water firms being allowed to cut corners.
But in 2021, raw sewage was discharged into the natural environment of Portsmouth South for a duration of 950 hours.
This equates to there having been a continuous flow of sewage taking place for over a month of the year, with 109 counted sewage spills in 2021 in the same area.
That’s why I’m raising concerns we all share on how this dirty water crisis is impacting us locally too.
As well as voting in Westminster for tough measures to finally end sewage pollution, unlike other local MPs, I am taking action locally to campaign to tackle the dirty water crisis. Meeting with the Environment Agency, liaising with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Surfers Against Sewage, questioning and holding Ministers to account and convening public meetings.
One thing the Government could simply do is ensure fines from water companies are ring-fenced to invest in long-term infrastructure and increase capacity to the Environment Agency to monitor our bathing waters. I’ve recently lobbied the new Environment Secretary to do this and will continue to make the case for this case in the Commons.
Britain deserves better than a zombie government up to its neck in raw sewage. That’s why I’m campaigning for a government which will use the levers of power to hold reckless water bosses to account and toughen regulations to prevent them from gaming the system.
I will continue to take action on behalf of all constituents, and future generations, to finally end sewage pollution for all.
Stephen Morgan MP
