Political opinion with Alison Bennett MP: The dirty business of water companies

Many of you may have recently seen ‘Dirty Business’ on Channel 4, which exposes the behaviour of privately owned water companies who have made a fortune while knowingly pumping untreated sewage into our rivers and seas. It is an important- if upsetting- watch and demonstrates the human impact of the reckless behaviour that this sector has got away with for too long.

The current state of our water companies is a big concern to people in Mid Sussex. My inbox is often full of emails from residents reporting leaks, worried about bills, or concerned about how sewage spills are impacting our natural habitats. I share their dismay; this system needs to change.

Recently, a burst sewer in Pangdean Lane Meadows led to sewage spilling into the Pook Bourne, causing what the Environment Agency has described as a “significant impact” on the stream and surrounding woodland. Southern Water contained the leak within a few hours, but the consequences have been serious, with around 3km of the waterway impacted by the spill.

Whilst repairs were carried out, sewage was tankered to the local treatment works. This brought disruption to residents, including traffic delays and noise from 24-hour operations near Jane Murray Way. I visited the site and spoke with those working to fix the problem, and although the temporary repairs have now been completed, serious questions remain as they prepare for the permanent improvements. This is especially important given that Southern Water only recently carried out additional resilience work on this sewer.

I am fed up with repeated failures that harm our environment and disrupt daily life. As Dirty Business showed us, the consequences of this recklessness can be huge for individuals and their families. We should be able to enjoy our lakes and seas without worrying that we are bathing in sewage, or that a loved one will get seriously ill.

People are crying out for a system that provides a safe, reliable water system that does not put undue pressure on households with rising bills. This is why my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I are calling for a new ownership model where water companies are mutually owned by customers and managed to look after customers and the environment rather than be driven by shareholder profits. One thing is for sure; doing nothing is no longer an option.