Lib Dems set out plan to save chalk streams from “environmental disaster” as sewage dumping doubles 

EMBARGO: 22:30 Friday 21st June 

• Analysis finds chalk streams suffered nearly 49,000 hours worth of sewage dumping in 2023

• Ed Davey calls for urgent public consultation on local areas which could be awarded new protected status for rivers, streams and lakes

• Lib Dems set out “boldest manifesto on cleaning up our rivers” with the Conservative’s current scheme branded “toothless”

The Liberal Democrats have set out a plan to save Britain’s chalk streams from the “environmental disaster” caused by soaring levels of sewage dumping.

It comes as analysis by the party found 48,626 hours worth of sewage was discharged into chalk streams in 2023, more than double the previous year.

The Liberal Democrats proposals would see a public consultation launched within the first 100 days of the next government in which rivers and lakes could be awarded new Blue Flag status to protect them from sewage dumping. England’s precious chalk streams along with existing bathing water areas would be given top priority when deciding on areas to award a new Blue Flag.

Chalk streams are a globally rare habitat found primarily in the South of England and Yorkshire, often referred to as “England’s rainforest”. These havens for iconic species like the otter, kingfisher and salmon have come under threat from sewage dumping in recent years. 

Anglian Water discharged 6,857 hours worth of sewage into chalk streams last year, up from 974 hours from the previous year. The worst offender, Wessex Water, spilled sewage 2,201 times into chalk streams last year, totalling 25,936 hours of sewage. Thames Water was the second worst offender, nearly tripling the amount of sewage discharged into chalk streams in the previous year to 9,136 hours of sewage. Currently just 15% of England’s rivers have a “good ecological status.”

The Lib Dems Blue Flag pledge builds on the Party’s plans to stop the sewage scandal, improve water quality and replace Ofwat with a tougher regulator, the Clean Water Authority, with more powers to hold water companies to account and monitor spills.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: 

“Water firms are destroying our precious rivers and chalk streams all whilst making massive profits. Conservative ministers have let these water firms get away with it for too long, while their toothless schemes have failed to protect swimmers and wildlife. 

“We need urgent action to save our precious chalk streams from this environmental disaster. 

“The swimmers made ill, the wildlife killed and the chalk streams dried up should act as a watershed moment to put an end to the sewage scandal.

“Every vote for the Liberal Democrats at this election is a vote for a strong local champion who will tackle the sewage scandal and clean up our rivers, lakes and beaches.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Liberal Democrat proposals for Blue Flag status for rivers and bathing areas would guarantee:

• Year-round water quality monitoring - not just during the bathing season - recorded in real-time and publicly available

• A whole-catchment approach to help protect whole stretches of river, and ensure that sewage cannot be dumped up or downstream of the Blue Flag 

• Robust, legally binding targets are in place to prevent sewage dumps and reduce abstraction from rivers and chalk streams

• Regular assessments of biodiversity to ensure that the river is supporting large amounts of wildlife

Liberal Democrat analysis of Environment Agency data. Full list of chalk stream sewage spills here