Sewage and the Conservatives

Whilst dashing about leafleting, one of the most common concerns I heard on the doorstep was about ageing sewerage systems and the environment. The River Derwent is a beloved feature of our area and used recreationally, both on the water and along its banks.

I am not sure though that people will still be flocking to our rivers with the horrendous statistics of sewage releases and the shame-faced water company CEOs giving up their bonuses.

Somehow that level of contrition just doesn't hack it, you can't show shame AFTER the event when those events happened 372,530 times in 2021.

That's a staggering and truly disturbing 2.7million hours of sewage discharge into our rivers and sea! Severn Trent recorded 59,684 sewage spillages into the rivers in its wide domain, which includes the Derwent. That's the third worst record in England! Water companies are rightly under the investigation of OfWat and the Environment Agency after they admitted they may have illegally released untreated sewage into rivers and waterways.

MAY HAVE, who are they trying to kid? The Conservative Government likes to point to its 'Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan' as some holy grail of environmental oversight. The only problem is its aim to eliminate 40% of raw sewage overflow is over the hill and far, far away in 2040.

That is not ambition that is derogation of duty.

In the meantime our own MP, Sarah Dines, shows no compunction about halting effective environmental control legislation. She shamefully voted against the Lord's amendment to the Environment Bill in 2021 that would have given much greater protection to our waterways. As Hugo Tagholes, of Surfers Against Sewage said, " Why wouldn't they want water companies to have a legal obligation not to pollute our rivers and oceans with sewage for example? It beggars belief".

The Conservatives have been woeful in their neglect - and their voting records have proved this time and time again. Sarah Dines cannot be trusted with our precious countryside in the Derbyshire Dales, her voting record proves this. It is time she went.

Let's make our recent local success in Council elections a national success and take back control of our natural environment.