Guildford’s Conservative MP Angela Richardson votes to delay action against sewage in our rivers until 2038
Conservative MPs vote through "shamefully low" target to reduce harmful phosphates in our rivers.
Guildford's Liberal Democrat candidate Zöe Franklin: "more Government empty promises: a betrayal of local people and our environment"
Guildford's MP Angela Richardson was among 292 Conservative MPs who backed a new target which allows water companies to dump harmful substances in our rivers until 2038.
The Government committed to bringing in new, binding, environmental targets in the Environment Act. But it's voted to give the privatised water companies 15 years to reduce harmful minerals being dumped in rivers.
The Environment Act, which was voted on in Parliament yesterday (25th January) set a target of an 80% reduction in phosphates in rivers by 2038.
The main source of phosphorus in rivers and lakes is sewage effluent.
This pollution causes a spiral of destruction. Excess levels of phosphates feed harmful algae.
- Algae "blooms" and blocks out light for other aquatic plants and animals
- As bacteria breaks down the decaying plantlife, oxygen levels are depleted
- Fish and other wildlife cannot survive
The Liberal Democrats' Zöe Franklin: "Another Conservative Government attack on nature."
"The Government promised us "ambitious" targets on protecting our air, water and precious biodiversity. Instead, they deliver empty promises as they kick the can down the road.
"Let's not forget, at the end of last year, Thames Water announced it made nearly half a billion pounds of profit in just 6 months."
- In the last two years, water companies in England dumped raw sewage 775,568 times lasting 5.7 million hours.
- These new regulations would permit dumping to continue by water companies for 15 more years.
Liberal Democrat MPs voted against these weak targets in an attempt to force the Government to set far stronger targets.
Zöe Franklin added: "This is a shamefully low target which allows Thames Water to get away with 15 more years of sewage dumping. This is a betrayal of local people who rightly want tougher action.
"I am proud Liberal Democrat MPs voted against this unacceptable delay and demanded tougher action on the water companies."
ENDS
"The Environmental Targets (Water) (England) Regulations 2022" SI passed today:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348242911/regulation/10
List of Conservative MPs who voted in favour of the 15 year target for tackling sewage:
https://votes.parliament.uk/Votes/Commons/Division/1462#ayes