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

The Labour MP joined former Undertones lead singer and environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey at a ‘World Water Day’ event to back his party’s plan to tackle the issue.

Among the party’s pledges supported by Mr Morgan are introducing a legislation to end 90 per cent of sewage discharges by 2030 and holding water bosses accountable with fines and strike-offs.

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Stephen Morgan said: ’World Water Day is a reminder that the government are presiding over a water system that is ageing and at bursting point, leading to over 1m sewage spills in the past six years. Portsmouth people should be able to enjoy our city’s superb seaside and areas of natural beauty, without having to worry about encountering filthy sewage.

‘That’s why I’m backing the plan to clean up the Tory sewage scandal and why I will continue to campaign with local people and community groups until we finally see an end to sewage pollution on our shores.’

The comments follow data which indicates Portsmouth and Havant have experienced among the sharpest decline in water quality of local authorities.

The Hampshire constituencies were ranked joint third place in a dataset which looked at the levels of E Coli and Intestinal Enterococci present in bathing water between 2017 and 2022. The figures were collated by SEO marketing firm Reboot and looked at information from the Environment Agency, The Met Office, and The Rivers Trust to assess the impact of wastewater entering rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

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Reboot gave Brighton and Hove a ‘water degradation score’ of 98.5, Chichester 97.0 and Portsmouth and Havant were each marked 92.55. Nine out of the 10 areas with the highest degradation scores were all in the south east of England.

According to the report, the scores were given as the areas show ‘one of the greatest percentage increases in EC and IE in the last three years in comparison to the three-year period prior.’

Southern Water, which is responsible for wastewater management in the area, has disputed the findings and expressed that many factors contribute to the cleanliness of our oceans.

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A Southern Water spokesperson said: ‘The so-called degradation score is not a measure of bathing water quality – it makes a comparison between some e coli scores before the pandemic and scores after. While Portsmouth is a busy working harbour, we work closely with stakeholders and the various businesses and sectors that influence water quality.

‘Every single designated bathing water in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is rated excellent by the sole authority which measures this: Defra, based on sample results taken by the Environment Agency.’

A spokesperson for Portsmouth North Conservative 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 people’s 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 eliminate these discharges.’