Record sewage dumping requires action

This week, shocking new figures showed that despite its gold-standard ‘Blue Flag’ Award, Croyde Beach suffered more than 114 hours of sewage spills last year.

 Like many of you, I am always disturbed to read of poor water quality and sewage dumping in our area.

This issue was at the forefront of my election campaign, and now thanks to your support, I am in the position to tackle it head on - to better safeguard North Devon’s famous coastlines, rivers, and lakes.

 According to official data from the Environment Agency, compiled by the House of Commons Library for the Liberal Democrats, sewage was dumped into North Devon’s rivers and beaches for 39,009 hours in 2023, which is an 89 per cent rise in the duration of sewage spills compared to the previous year.

I know I speak for all of us when I say that this is utterly unacceptable. 

Adding insult to injury, water firm CEOs responsible for dumping sewage into the nation's waters pocket huge sums in eye-watering salaries, while our families face sky high bills.

Since being sworn in, I have tried to use the Parliament recess to begin paving the way for change. 

I recently joined other Lib Dem MPs from the South West in Downing Street in support of the Climate and Nature Bill; an important Bill requiring the UK to meet climate and nature targets and hold those in power to account.

I have also arranged to meet with Pennon Group PLC, the owners of South West Water, to discuss their environmental obligations.

Closer to home, I will be speaking at the North Devon & Torridge Climate Forum, which will be a great opportunity to discuss critical national steps that must be taken as well as more local green initiatives. 

Water quality is a key part of the agenda, and with the recent figures in mind, certain to be pivotal to the future of North Devon.

As an MP, I am committed to calling for strict measures, including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator, a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways, and the declaration of a national environmental emergency.

Our community is sick of this sewage scandal spoiling one of North Devon’s greatest assets and, after years of failure under the Conservatives, I will fight to put our local environment first.