‘Windermere water plant should have been put right decades ago’
Fury on bill hikes for sewage
FEARGAL Sharkey has insisted households should not have to pick up the tab to fix sewage dumped in Lake Windermere.
Campaigners said Ambleside Wastewater Treatment Works, operated by United Utilities, has spilled effluent since at least 2018.
Now customers’ bills could rise by £110 from next year until 2030 – going from £443 to £553. The former Undertones frontman, 65, said: “The public should not put another penny anywhere near water companies.
“For 33 years, we have paid them all of the money they’ve needed to fix this kind of plant. It should have been fixed decades ago. They didn’t fix it. The question we should be asking is, ‘Where has our money gone?
Filthy
“‘When do we get a refund? And how dare they have the audacity to now demand that bill payers pay them a second time for a service we didn’t even get the first time round.’”
The Ambleside sewer storm overflow has spilled for 4,141 hours since 2020, discharging into the River Rothay. But Matt Staniek, founder of the Save Windermere crusade, said the problem has gone on longer.
He said: “Analysis of the United Utilities data says that this site has spilled illegally from at least 2018. It’s been in breach of its permit.
“It’s non-compliant and the bill payer is being told this next level of investment is being earmarked towards it.” United Utilities paid shareholders £400million over 18 months and £30million to Steve Mogford in his 12 years as boss.
Matt said the firm’s investment in the region has been “inadequate”. He warned that United Utilities’ “persistent lack of transparency” is impeding efforts to accurately assess the impact on Windermere and the risks to public health.
In 2022, the lake turned luminescent green when algal blooms formed following hot weather.
But Feargal insisted all is not lost after a visit to Chapel Stile, along the banks of the Great Langdale Beck.
He said: “You could count every pebble at the bottom of that river. Why? United Utilities have not managed to get their filthy hands on it.”
United Utilities said: “Ambleside wastewater treatment works continues to be fully compliant with its permit. We have proposed a record £14billion investment programme to improve water and wastewater services. This would mean bills increasing by less than £25 a year.”