Lib Dems call for Wessex Water to be "ripped up"
Sir Ed Davey says the amount of sewage being discharged into our rivers is an "absolute disgrace"
Last updated 18th Oct 2024
The Liberal Democrats are calling for sewage company Wessex Water, which operates across large parts of the South West including Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, to be "ripped up" and turned into a Public Benefit Company (PBC).
The call comes ahead of a visit by Sir Ed Davey to South Gloucestershire today (17th October), when he will inspect the water quality in the River Frome.
In a press release shared ahead of the visit, the Lib Dems say Wessex Water "dumped" raw sewage directly into the river and its tributaries 1,900 times in 2023, for a total of 12,210.86 hours.
The party says the village of Frampton Cotterell was impacted particularly badly as a result.
Sir Ed said: "Almost a quarter of the sewage pollution in the River Frome has been forced upon families and businesses in Frampton Cotterell; it is an absolute disgrace and Wessex Water should be ashamed.
“Our towns and villages are becoming victims of the sewage scandal as their beautiful rivers and coastlines are pumped full of raw sewage by water firms putting profit before people."
According to Sir Ed the previous Conservative government gave water companies like Wessex Water a "free pass" to dump sewage this way, though Labour has now been in power since early July.
“Wessex Water needs to be turned into Public Benefit Companies so they can begin to repair the damage they have caused without raising bills for hard working families," he said.
The company also operates across Dorset and most of Hampshire.
Sir Ed adds that last year, Wessex Water company executives pocketed over £1.6 million, including £530,000 in bonuses.
What is a Public Benefit Company?
PBC's still aim to make a profit, however as the name suggests, rather than solely looking to make money, they are legally required to work for the benefit of others.
The benefit can be artistic, charitable, cultural or economic among other options, but one must be actively pursued.
Making a company a PBC would therefore make it more accountable to the public.
What do Wessex Water say?
In an extensive statement sent to Greatest Hits Radio in response, a spokesperson for Wessex Water says the company never "dumps" sewage into rivers. Instead, they say the storm overflow system releases a mix of rainwater and sewage during periods of wet weather in a bid to protect homes, businesses and roads from flooding.
They said: “We're aware that our licensed storm overflows in Frampton Cotterell operated frequently in 2023.
"While it protected local properties from flooding in what was the fourth wettest year since records began, we agree that overflows are outdated, so we are investing £3 million a month to improve them.
“This includes a £5 million project currently underway in Frampton Cotterell to build three large stormwater storage tanks, which will increase capacity and reduce how often the nearby overflows will operate."
Wessex Water add that Claire Young, previously the leader of South Gloucestershire Council and now a Liberal Democrat MP for Thornbury and Yate, was briefed about the work in a letter earlier this year and was invited to attend meetings about it, which the company says she did not take up.
The company also claims that no bonuses have been paid to directors, relating to environmental performance.
“We have also laid out plans to invest £445 million towards reducing the operation of storm overflows – more than double the current spend – in our revised 2025-30 Business Plan which is currently being considered by the regulator Ofwat," the spokesperson continued.
“More widely, the number of storm overflow events are related to the amount of rain being able to mix with flows in sewers - as it currently does from the majority of the country’s properties and roads.
“We believe rain should be valued as a resource and, where possible, used and returned to the environment close to where it falls. Alongside our ongoing work, this requires the political understanding and will to bring forward policies that that promote best practice in rainwater management at source.”