77% increase in sewage dumps by Southern Water last year
New figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Southern Water which covers Havant discharged sewage a staggering 29,494 times last year, a 77% rise compared to in 2022.
Havant Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in local rivers/beaches, including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator. The party has also called for a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.
Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis, including MP for Havant, Alan Mak.
Professor Alex Ford, a local marine biologist, based at Portsmouth University, has confirmed that in studies, every species of life they have found in our seas has been found to have cocaine and many other drugs in it. This includes hormones and antidepressants.
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Havant, Gayathri Sathyanath said:
“It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into Havant Borough’s harbours, rivers and waterways.
“It’s beggars’ belief that Conservative MPs have allowed water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism. Local people are furious that Conservative politicians blocked tougher action on these disgraced firms.
"The Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers/beaches including replacing OfWat with a regulator that has real teeth to clamp down on these polluting firms. We have also called for a ban on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways."