Andrew Griffith, the Arundel and South Downs MP, has criticised Southern Water for failing to control sewage discharge in local water bodies.
The MP hit out at the water company after it was revealed by the Environment Agency that there was a 105% increase in the total hours of sewage spills since 2022.
This news comes as the Government ramped up its action against the water industry with the launch of a portal to enable whistleblowers working for water companies to report safety issues they’ve witnessed at work.
The Government has also issued a crackdown on water bosses’ bonuses if serious criminal breaches following sewage spills occur, and has fast tracked £180 million of investment to cut the number of spills in 2024 in addition to quadrupling the number of company inspections by April 2025.
In August 2022, the Government launched the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, setting out targets to protect people and the environment. The plan was backed by up to £60 billion capital investment, totalling the largest infrastructure programme in water company history.
Commenting on the news, South Downs MP Andrew Griffith said:
“It is concerning news that sewage spills increased last year although the fact that every overflow now has 24/7 monitoring means leaks that were missed before are now being caught.”
We in Parliament are rightly cracking down on water bosses’ bonuses or dividends to shareholders until these spills are dealt with and I will continue to hold Southern Water to account to end these discharges.
