Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan has said that the government’s new Water (Special Measures) Bill will put water companies under tough special measures and begin the work of cleaning up our seas.
Mr Morgan made the comments as the government also launched a consultation to double reimbursement for customers when their basic water services are hit.
In its first weeks in office the government announced it was strengthening regulation to reverse the tide on the unacceptable destruction of our waterways and attract private-sector investment to upgrade our crumbling infrastructure.
Announced in July’s King’s Speech, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will:
- strengthen regulation to ensure water bosses face personal criminal liability for lawbreaking.
- give the water regulator new powers to ban the payment of bonuses if environmental standards are not met.
- boost accountability for water executives through a new ‘code of conduct’ for water companies, so customers can summon board members and hold executives to account.
- introduce new powers to bring automatic and severe fines.
- require water companies to install real-time monitors at every sewage outlet with data independently scrutinised by the water regulators.
These measures will strengthen the enforcement regime and make clear that the Government will not tolerate poor performance across the water sector.
The Government will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform and reset our water industry and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“For too long Portsmouth’s bathing waters have been treated like a sewer by water companies while previous governments looked the other way.
“Given the damage that’s been done and lack of action to date, it will sadly take time to fundamentally transform and reset our water industry and restore Portsmouth’s sea to good health.
“That’s why the new government is wasting no time in turning the tide on this national scandal by using our first King’s Speech to introduce a landmark bill to finally hold water companies to account and protect Portsmouth’s bathing waters.”
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:
“Our water industry is broken.
“After years of failure, households and businesses have been let down by water companies time and time again.
“The new Government will clean up the water industry and turn the tide on the destruction of our waterways ensuring water companies protect the interests of their customers and the environment.”
You can read about Stephen’s long track record of relentlessly campaigning to stop the sewage here: https://www.stephenmorgan.org.uk/backs-tough-plans-to-tackle-sewage/
Constituents can submit their views to the consultation on improving customer service standards and protection in the water and sewerage sector here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water-affordability-and-consumers/consultation-on-updating-the-guaranteed-standards/consultation/intro/
