MP critical of watchdog in scandal of sewage
Laura Farris ‘staggered’ by lack of action
NEWBURY MP Laura Farris has blasted the Environment Agency for its apparently toothless response to Thames Water’s failings.
She branded the agency’s lack of action “staggering”.
Meanwhile residents are furious at the amount of sewage being discharged into the region’s waterways, including the internationally rare chalk stream, the River Lambourn.
Last month more than 200 people gathered in Newbury’s Victoria Park to protest against sewage polluting West Berkshire’s waterways.
In March, this newspaper revealed the agency’s response to Mrs Farris’ request to prosecute Thames Water – it was a ‘no’.
Instead, the watchdog said it would “continue to monitor the ongoing situation”. Not content with that, Mrs Farris called a meeting with flooding minister Robbie Moore MP and Environment Agency area director Anna Burns.
Following the meeting at the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on Tuesday, Mrs Farris said: “It is unacceptable that Thames Water have faced no consequences for their complete disregard of the environment and public health.
“During the meeting, I made it clear to the Environment Agency that I consider them to have fallen short in their duty as a regulator.
“I find it staggering that they had not even bothered to write to Thames Water at any point during the winter despite my numerous complaints, setting out their own objections.”
The agency had suggested that despite sewage discharges into the River Lambourn – which is supposed to enjoy the highest level of protection as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and SAC (Special Area of Conservation) – “the current impact on the river is low due to the high dilution of the groundwater and high flows in the river”.
Mrs Farris said this week: “Their argument that the environmental damage to the Lambourn is low, and that they are unwilling to take enforcement action, is deeply disappointing.”
Overall, prosecutions brought by the agency for water pollution in England have fallen dramatically over the past decade.
There was some good news, however.
Following the meeting the agency committed to requiring Thames Water to provide details of lessons learnt from last winter and to set out its plans for investment into the network following a directors’ meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 21.
Mrs Farris added: “The flooding minister has written to the chief executive officer of Thames Water, Chris Weston, to outline his dissatisfaction with Thames Water’s performance in the Lambourn valley.
“I will be seeking an update from the Environment Agency later this month.”