MP Stephen Morgan criticises ‘Tory Sewage scandal’ as figures show 10 sewage spills per week in Portsmouth area 2022

Responding to data released by the Environment Agency which showed the extent of sewage spills last year, the Labour MP has asked for people to sign a pledge of support for his party’s plan to tackle the issue.

Analysis of Environment Agency data shows that in 2022, raw sewage was discharged into Portsmouth’s waters for 1,809 hours, the equivalent of there being a continuous flow of sewage taking place for over two months of the year.

Stephen Morgan said: ‘The Tory sewage scandal has polluted Portsmouth waters with filthy raw sewage. The disgraceful images that we see of sewage pipes pumping out raw human waste could have been avoided had Tory MPs not dismissed Labour’s warnings.

NOW READ: Havant Thicket Reservoir: Petition to stop wastewater recycling project reaches 4,500 signatures

‘Labour is the only party that has a plan to end sewage dumping in Portsmouth and across the country. By delivering mandatory monitoring on all sewage outlets, introducing automatic fines for discharges and ensuring that water bosses are held to account for negligence.’

The Labour Party’s plan to tackle the issue should they come to power includes the introduction of a legally binding target to end 90 per cent of sewage discharges by 2030.

Labour analysis of DEFRA event duration monitoring data revealed that nationally since 2016, a new sewage dumping event has taken place an average of every two-and-a-half minutes, with rivers, lakes, seas, and beaches having faced 1,276 years’ worth of raw sewage over just a seven-year period.

Last September, Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon announced that a future Labour Government would implement measures that would force water companies to progressively end sewage dumping and ‘the culture of water companies treating our natural environment as an open sewer.’

Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon OBE MP said: ‘That the Tories have allowed villages, towns, and cities across the country to be treated as open sewers shows that they have no respect for places where people live, work and holiday. Communities should be able to just enjoy the place where they live without having to worrying about encountering filthy raw sewage.

NOW READ: MP Stephen Morgan hits out at 'Tory sewage scandal' - as figures show how waters around Portsmouth and Havant have declined in quality

‘The next Labour Government will end the Tory sewage scandal, delivering mandatory monitoring on all sewage outlets, introducing automatic fines for discharges, setting ambitious targets for stopping systematic sewage dumping and ensuring that water bosses are held to account for negligence.’

In response to similar claims Morgan made about the Conservative Party on World Water Day, a statement from the office of Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt said: ‘In 2010 only six per cent of storm overflows were monitored. That is now 100 per cent. We’ve invested massively in sea defences, pumping stations, improving sewage and water systems across the city, and we are on course through a legally binding infrastructure plan to end overflows. Sewage used to run through peoples gardens and homes in some places on Portsdown Hill, and areas like central Cosham used to flood. That doesn’t happen now. We will continue to work separate waste and storm water and illuminate these discharges.’