Stephen Morgan MP has condemned reports that three major water companies, including Southern Water, illegally discharged sewage hundreds of times last year on days when it was not raining.
A BBC Investigation has revealed that Southern, Thames, and Wessex Water appear to have collectively released sewage in dry spills for 3,500 hours in 2022 – in breach of their permits.
Southern Water illegally discharged sewage 63 times in 2022 for 792 hours.
Discharging in dry conditions is illegal under environmental law, as releasing sewage without rainwater is more likely to result in a buildup of toxin producing algae which poses health risks for swimmers and pets.
The BBC Investigation reports that Southern, Thames and Wessex illegally started releasing sewage on dry days 388 times last year. This includes 19 July 2022, the hottest day on record, when temperatures topped 40C in some places with many people cooling off in bathing waters.
Commenting Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan said that:
“The Conservatives have allowed oceans and seas to be flooded with sewage, not only damaging Portsmouth’s precious environment but also our ability to enjoy the coast without fear of our health and safety.
Southern Water are acting without regard for the environment and public health and breaking the law in doing so. Tory MPs must explain why they have so far voted against taking action against holding water companies accountable.
In government, Labour will introduce automatic fines to punish law-breaking companies, make water bosses responsible for their negligence and bring in strict mandatory monitoring of outlets to make sure this never happens again”.
Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary, said:
“There can be no more damning metaphor for 13 years of Tory failure than the stinking, toxic sewage now polluting our rivers and lapping onto our beaches.
This scandal is their fault. They cut back enforcement and monitoring against water companies releasing this filth and are now failing to prosecute them when they are blatantly breaking the law.
There must be an immediate investigation into both the breach of the license and the environmental damage caused. Only then can we expose this illegal pollution and bring those responsible to justice”.
Protecting Portsmouth’s precious environment is one of Mr Morgan’s key priorities. The Portsmouth MP has taken a range of actions to tackle the impacts of the dirty water crisis locally, including questioning Ministers, convening a public meeting on the issue and working alongside local organisations and charities to hold government and industry to account.
You can have your say on protecting Portsmouth’s precious environment, and other local issues, through completing Mr Morgan’s Big Conversation survey here: https://www.stephenmorgan.org.uk/bigconversation/
