Shock Figures Reveal 114 Instances of Sewage Dumping in Southport
Lib Dems only party with bold plans to clean our waterways as data shows sewage was dumped 114 times in Southport over 2023 - Erin Harvey
24th June 2024- Analysis by the Lib Dems has shown that in 2023 United Utilities dumped sewage 114 times in Southport for a staggering total of 242 hours.
The Lib Dems have several bold plans to tackle the growing crisis of sewage dumping in our waterways which includes abolishing the current regulator Ofwat and replacing it with a new regulator the Clean Water Authority with greater powers. This follows the party’s announcement earlier this year of plans for a ban on water company executive bonuses.
Other key plans in the manifesto are:
· Pledging £10 million per year to deliver new water quality inspectors, as part of an ambition to recruit at least one hundred new ‘sewage-busters’.
· A massive expansion of marine protected areas and a new Blue Flag status for rivers will be included in the party’s general election manifesto. The introduction of Blue Flag status would set legally binding targets to prevent sewage dumping in those sites, giving special protected status for swimmers and wildlife.
· community environmental experts to sit on water company boards who could hold water bosses’ feet to the fire and mean that local people would have a say in how their water company is run.
Erin Harvey, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate, commented: “It’s shocking to see the scale of sewage dumping happening in our waters which threatens Southport’s residents’ health and our economy as a seaside town. There is simply no excuse for this and we must get better at protecting our environment.
“If elected this will be a key priority for me – the Tory government have stood by whilst swimmers have become ill and wildlife killed by sewage discharges. The Lib Dems have the boldest manifesto plans to end the sewage scandal - from a tough new regulator to a ban on greedy exec bonuses to holding water bosses properly to account.”