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MPs’ Round-Up
After debates in both the House of Commons and the Lords, a compromise outcome was agreed on the issues in the Environment Bill, including that of sewage discharges. This had been a complex and contentious area of discussion and the outcome recognises the reality that it is not easy to change a sewerage system, much of which was designed more than 50 years ago. The Water Industry Act 1991 is being amended to provide that ‘a sewerage undertaker, whose area is wholly or mainly in England, must secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impact of discharges from the undertakers storm overflows.’ The adverse impacts include public health and the environment. Wessex Water, which is the main provider of sewerage services in my constituency, has pointed out that some 1,289 of the 15,000 storm overflows in England are in its area. One outstanding problem is that despite separate sewer systems, property developers still have the right to connect surface water drainage pipes to the combined sewerage network. This passes the cost and problem further down the network, resulting in increases in overflow operation, where overflows exist, or a flooding risk, where they do not. This should be addressed now the Government is required to prepare and publish a plan to reduce storm overflows by September 2023 with consultation on that plan beginning next spring. Wessex Water has confirmed that the biggest scourge of the sewerage network is blockages caused by wet wipes and fat being pored down lavatories or sinks. These alone account for 75% of pollution incidents in our area, which necessitate clearing 13,000 sewers. There will also be new monitoring requirements including ‘near real time’ reporting and a new duty imposed on the Environment Agency. These should help increase public confidence in the quality of bathing waters, while countering ill-informed scaremongering about sewage discharges. The progress now achieved for the long-term benefit of all those who enjoy our bathing waters is most welcome. n One of the highlights of Parliament Week was an opportunity for me to visit Ferndown Upper School and engage in questions and discussion with students from across the school. The quality of the questions and the way they were delivered is a great credit to Ferndown Upper. The school’s reputation as a centre of excellence continues to grow and is a source of pride to me as the local MP who has taken a keen interest in the school’s progress over many years. Many congratulations to all staff and pupils involved.
Christchurch & East Dorset: Chris Chope
