Concerns over potential breach of environmental laws regarding sewage discharges in the Portsmouth area

In a recent investigation, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) identified possible breaches of environmental law committed by DEFRA, Ofwat and The Environment Agency. The investigation was launched in June last year following complaints alleging failures by the public authorities to adequately monitor and enforce water companies’ management of sewage.

Helen Venn, the OEP’s Chief Regulatory Officer, said: “The core of the issue is that where we interpret the law to mean that untreated sewage discharges should generally be allowed only in exceptional circumstances, such as during unusually heavy rainfall, it appears that the public authorities may have interpreted the law differently, permitting such discharges to occur more often.”

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Reacting to the news, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said it is an example of the government giving water companies ‘an easy ride’.

“The government has demonstrated a shocking level of negligence, not only damaging Portsmouth’s precious environment but also our ability to enjoy the coast without fear for our health and safety.

“Southern Water has been allowed to act without regard for the environment and public health, breaking the law in doing so.

“Tory MPs must explain why they have so far voted against taking action to hold water companies accountable.”

Portsmouth City Councillor Kimberly Barrett, cabinet member for climate change said the council has been ‘extremely concerned for some time about ongoing sewage discharges’.

“We’ve set up our own sampling programme to monitor the situation and installed signs on the beach to keep residents and visitors informed about storm overflow releases.

“We’ve made our views about discharges very clear to Southern Water and the regulators and hope that today’s findings will lead to meaningful action that will help clean up our seas and waterways.”

Professor Alex Ford from the University of Portsmouth’s School of Biological Sciences said the findings ‘support what many scientists and campaigners have suspected for some time’.

“The law permitting discharges during exceptional rainfall was being interpreted too loosely by the agencies allowing water companies to discharge sewage in what some might consider moderate rainfall.

“In the absence of clear criteria of what constitutes ‘exceptional rainfall’, this was only likely to happen when conflicts of interest favour profit over the environment or human health.”

Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, was approached for comment.