‘Enough is enough’ says MP after Thames Water sewage dumping more than doubles

By Oliver Monk 27th Mar 2024

Teddington Lock has been at the centre of recent campaigning against Thames Water's plans to pump treated sewage upstream (Photo: Oliver Monk)
Teddington Lock has been at the centre of recent campaigning against Thames Water's plans to pump treated sewage upstream (Photo: Oliver Monk)

Thames Water has dumped 163% more sewage in local waterways this year than in 2022 according to latest Environment Agency figures.

Totalling 196,414 hours of sewage outflow, local politicians are ramping up their campaigning against the water company.

Previous research from the Liberal Democrats had found that Mogden, near Twickenham, is historically one of the worst offenders – and where 1 billion litres of sewage (964 million litres) was discharged on a single day in 2021.

Two of the party's local MPs – Richmond Park's Sarah Olney and Twickenham's Munira Wilson – are calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in local rivers and waterways.

These include replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator, placing a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways, and for Thames Water to be reformed as a public benefit company. 

A Liberal Democrat press release has blamed Conservative MPs, saying that they "have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis".

Meanwhile, Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has said: "Enough is enough. Public opinion is clear. People don't want our precious waterways pumped full of disgusting and dangerous sewage. The threat to people, wildlife and the environment is too great a cost.

She is also calling on the government to "end sky-high bonuses and the revolving door between regulators and water companies".

Ms. Wilson says these latest figures along with "an outpouring of local opposition" are grounds to block Thames Water's controversial proposals to pump treated sewage into the river above Teddington Lock.

"People just don't trust the water companies, and these latest sewage figures show exactly why," said the MP.

     

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