Southern Water - who pays the price for pollution?

On a very rainy day during half term, I visited Southern Water’s Control Centre in Worthing with my Liberal Democrat colleague Jess Brown-Fuller, MP for Chichester. We were given a behind-the-scenes tour of their systems managing wastewater—from how the network responds to rainfall, to the introduction of new technologies in preventing blockages and managing power outages. 

However, an issue at the forefront of my mind during our meeting was how huge rises in customer bills will be spent. According to Water UK, Southern Water’s bills have increased by a staggering 47% between 2023/24 and 2024/25—putting even more strain on families already hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis. I asked how this money would be spent, and whether customers would see a real return through improved infrastructure. Southern Water’s answer was clear: if investment is wanted, someone must foot the bill 

I remain unconvinced that this “someone” should always be the customer. People in Mid Sussex are already paying—both financially and environmentally—for years of poor water company performance. 

This is not just corporate failure—it’s regulatory failure too. Under the Conservatives, the water industry prioritised profits over people and nature. Just one in seven rivers in England is in good ecological health, and last year saw over 500,000 sewage spills into rivers. 

In Mid Sussex we are so lucky to have ready access to the sea. That’s why I was keen to meet with constituent Dr Heidi Burgess who is an academic at the Centre for Environment and Sciences at the University of Brighton. Heidi wanted to tell me about the research she is leading into the health the Ouse and Adur estuaries, whose water sources run through and from Mid Sussex. Heidi explained that there are several pollutants that we should be concerned about, including sewage, pharmaceuticals, and road and agricultural run-off. She also talked me through how she is planning to measure the turbidity - or clarity - of our local estuaries. 

Whilst it is clear there is a long way to go before our waterways are healthy and thriving, my conversations with Heidi and the staff at Southern Water showed that there are many people who care passionately about putting right the wrongs of the past. 

However, the Liberal Democrats believe that the current model of a water company ownership has failed and that is why we are calling for water companies to be turned into public benefit companies—focused on service, not shareholder profits. 

As your MP for Mid Sussex, I will continue to push for reform of our water industry and demand that the government and water companies are held to account.