Wessex Water sewage dumps into bathing water more than double in last year 

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed a 105% increase in sewage discharges into bathing water by Wessex Water last year, with the number of hours sewage was spilling out more than tripling. 

In 2023, Wessex Water dumped sewage into bathing water 1650 times, more than double the previous year. During those 1650 discharges, storm overflows spilled sewage for a total of 12,172 hours; 217% more in 2022. 

The number of times the water company pumped sewage into all waterways has also increased by 90%, with a total of 41,453 discharges last year, compared to 21,878 in 2022.

This analysis comes as Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey is set to meet the CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, Giles Bristow, on a visit to West Bay, Dorset on Thursday to discuss the catastrophic impact of sewage. 

Environment Agency data shows that in the local area, sewage was dumped into nearby waterways Lyme Bay and Bridport Harbour a shocking 102 times in 2023, up 62% compared to the previous year.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the water industry to be “ripped up from top to bottom” to ensure profit is no longer put above environmental goals, and the creation of a new tougher regulator to replace Ofwat. 

Since the Liberal Democrats were the first party to call for a ban on water firm executive bonuses over two years ago, several water CEOs have given theirs up.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“Voters across Dorset are fed up with seeing their rivers and beaches ruined by sewage, with children and animals getting sick from swimming in polluted water. People are sick of this Conservative Government letting this happen. 

“For years Rishi Sunak and Conservative MPs have blocked measures to crack down on water firms, allowing them to get away with pumping raw sewage into waterways in Dorset and around the entire country.

“Their failure to tackle this environmental scandal will come back to haunt them in next month’s local elections as voters take their anger and frustration to the ballot boxes.

“The water industry needs to be ripped up from top to bottom, to stop profits and shareholders’ dividends driving everything. Enough is enough: it is clear the only way to end this sewage scandal is to boot the Conservatives out of government.”

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for West Dorset, Edward Morello, said: 

“Dorset has some of the most beautiful beaches and countryside in the world, but this Conservative government is allowing water companies to get away with polluting them. 

“Families in Dorset deserve better than this and local people are understandably furious at the scale of this environmental vandalism. 

“The Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in both local rivers and beaches across Dorset and the rest of the country so families can enjoy our world class county without fear of getting sick from sewage pollution.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Total sewage spills: 

Sewage spills into bathing water: 

Source: Event Duration Monitoring - Storm Overflows - Annual Returns

Wessex Water sewage discharges in West Bay:

Source: Storm Overflow - Spill Frequency Portal: Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) Data