Sewage dumps by Thames Water doubled last year

27 Mar 2024

New figures released by the Environment Agency show that Thames Water discharged sewage a staggering 74,693 times last year, a 112% increase on 2022. 

South Bucks Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in local rivers, including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator. The party has also called for a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs, including Joy Morrissey, MP for Beaconsfield, have consistently voted against measures that would have helped to tackle the crisis.

Liberal Democrat candiate for the Beaconsfield Constituency, Anna Crabtree said:

“It is a complete scandal that so much sewage is being pumped into South Bucks rivers and waterways. 

“Our community should not be forced to tolerate this any longer, yet time and again, this Conservative government has voted against tougher action on sewage dumping. 

“The Liberal Democrats have been leading the way in holding water companies to account and have called for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers. We need to see a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms continue to pump sewage into our waterways and make sure our local community are protected from this filth.”

Pipe discharging sewage into stream
Thames Water discharged sewage for 196,000 hours last year

Protect our rivers from Sewage

Anna and the Lib Dems are calling on water companies to clean up their own mess and stop dumping sewage in our river and lakes. Water companies pumped sewage into our rivers and seas more than 1 million times over the past three years. The Conservatives are letting them get away with it AND want taxpayers to pay to fix the problem. It's time for a sewage tax on the £2.2 billion water company annual profits to improve our sewage systems and protect our rivers and lakes

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