MP Tim Farron tells water companies to stop dumping sewage in Cumbrian rivers
The practice is currently legal
Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has urged water companies to stop dumping sewage into the Lake District's rivers.
Instead, he is asking the companies to use their profits to update water waste disposal systems, so they don't enter natural environments.
He told our team here at Greatest Hits Radio he is shocked this practice is still legal.
The MP said: "Perhaps the worst thing about the sewage being dumped into our rivers and lakes is it is being done legally, the government is allowing the water companies to do it."
The ex-Liberal Democrats leader continued: "It's happening in our area in Cumbria, In Brough for examples, 2780 hours' worth of sewage was dumped into Swindell Beck last year."
"Look at Kirby Stephen where 2432 hours of raw sewage was dumped into the River Eden and in Orton through Chapel Beck, 2417 hours. This is outrageous."
"We know the water company in our area and across the country they make something like 2.7 billion pounds worth of profit, 1 billion pounds worth of shareholder dividends.
"Why are they not spending that money on upgrading our sewage systems so we're not dumping sewage into our lakes and our rivers?"