On Wednesday 22nd March, Jeremy Quin joined Sussex MPs to meet the Chief Executive from Southern Water (Laurence Gosden) and the Environment Agency Chief Executive (Sir James Bevan) to discuss sewage discharges into Sussex rivers and the sea.
The Horsham area has significant water-related issues involving both water-usage and storage and concerns on environmental quality.
As the Environment Agency made clear significant progress has been to improve the environment in the last decade and water quality in the UK is better now than at any time since the Industrial Revolution. This has been largely driven by investment made in recent years and regulation introduced under the current Government.
However, there is still much work to be done. We benefit from the immense Victorian sewage and drainage network but this was designed to carry both sewage and run-off rainwater through the same pipes, was planned for a much smaller population and created before changes in our rainfall patterns that are already apparent and increase the risk of water surges and flash flooding.
For the first time long term plans are now in place to end for ever emergency sewage discharges, the Environment Agency is monitoring water companies and taking action where companies are acting in breach of the law.
Southern Water told the MPs they will be launching a thorough root-and-branch approach to separate surface water from sewage. This will launch at the end of this month. An initial £25 million pathfinder project to refine the scheme will be followed by a £2.8 billion plan.
Jeremy Quin commented,
“Huge progress has been made but this is just a start. Reducing unnecessary water usage, updating our water supply and modernising water treatment requires investment to continue into the long-term. For the first time effective real-time monitoring of sewage outflows is being put in place and we are determined to drive compliance. I am very focussed on Southern Water’s ongoing actions including focussing on the investment they are making locally to improve water quality. I will shortly be joining them to hear specifically on their plans for the River Arun.”
