PRESS RELEASE: Thames Water makes staggering £485 million-plus profit despite dumping sewage in rivers across Guildford, Cranleigh and the surrounding area

• Thames Water made over £485 million last year
  
• Liberal Democrats demand 'Sewage Tax' to clean up local rivers

New analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed Britain's nine water companies made a total £2.8bn in combined operating profits last year.

Thames Water, which dumps sewage in local rivers/coastline, made an operating profit of £488.8 million last year.

As a result of sewage dumping, the River Wey through Guildford and Waverley is one of the worst 23% of rivers in terms of ecological and overall river health according to the Rivers Trust. At one sewage overflow location in Shamley Green Thames Water's own data shows that from 2019 to 2020 there was a 222% increase in the number of hours that sewage flowed into the watercourse.

Water companies making billions in profit were responsible for nearly 400,000 sewage dumping events in 2020 alone, according to the Environment Agency.

The Liberal Democrats are demanding a 'Sewage Tax' of 16% on water companies to create an emergency fund for cleaning up rivers.

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh, said:

"It is disgraceful to see water companies making such enormous profits while continuing to get away with polluting our local rivers with sewage. We know that through 2019 and 2020 sewage flow into our rivers locally amounted to 2880 hours - who knows what it will be in 2021.

"Local people are really angry that this is happening and have made that clear by joining me to protest in October last year, and the issue regularly comes up when I'm out and about.

"This Conservative Government is just letting Thames Water, and other water companies, get away with it. The Government is taking us for granted and doing nothing to protect our local rivers. It has to stop and water companies must pay to clear up the mess they are making."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said:

"Given their poor record on sewage, the water industry's staggering profit numbers will alarm millions of people who care about our environment.

"A big chunk of these profits should have been reinvested to protect Britain's streams and rivers, instead of letting disgusting sewage dumps continue. The whole thing stinks.

"Our precious rivers, beaches and chalk streams are under threat from these sewage offences.

"Conservative Ministers are sitting on their hands and just letting water companies get away with it.

"It is time to act. The water companies should pay to clean up their mess and Ministers should pass the laws to make it happen"