Maidstone Greens have demanded an explanation from local MP Helen Grant who voted last week to not have a “Duty on sewerage undertakers to take all reasonable steps to ensure untreated sewage is not discharged from storm overflows” in the latest Environment Bill which was debated on 21st Oct.
Stuart Jeffery, Maidstone Green Party: “Southern Water have rarely been out of the news this year with their raw sewerage discharges and across the country last year raw sewerage was discharged more that 400,000 times. Maidstone has the largest river in Kent flowing through it, a river that needs protection not pollution.
“Raw sewerage has well known health and environmental impacts, particularly when it enters public waters.
“We need stronger legislation to protect these waters. I am disgusted that Maidstone’s MP voted against this and I have demanded an explanation.”
Notes:
The Commons rejected this section of the bill:
141A Duty on sewerage undertakers to take all reasonable steps to ensure untreated sewage is not discharged from storm overflows (1) A sewerage undertaker must demonstrate improvements in the sewerage systems and progressive reductions in the harm caused by untreated sewage discharges. (2) The Secretary of State, the Director and the Environment Agency must exercise their respective functions under this and any other Act to secure compliance with this duty.
Southern Water have repeatedly discharged raw sewerage. They were fined £90m this year but they continue to do this.
This from the Guardian: In 2020 raw sewage was discharged into waters more than 400,000 times over a total of more than 3.1 million hours.
Letter to Helen Grant MP
Dear Helen Grant
I understand that on Wednesday 21st Oct 2021 you voted against introducing a "duty on sewerage undertakers to take all reasonable steps to ensure untreated sewage is not discharged from storm overflows" as part of The Environment Bill. You are an MP with the largest river in Kent flowing through her constituency so it would be interesting to learn your rationale for your decision.
As someone who lives close to the Medway, who walks by it most days and as someone who cares about the environment and for people, I want sewerage to be treated and for its valuable and useful components to be extracted with only treated and safe water returning to rivers and seas.
You may not be aware of the health (and wider environmental) problems of raw sewage but they have been known since Victorian times. Indeed the builder of the Maidstone Bridge (now Broadway) was built by the Joseph Bazelgette who led the sewerage system in London. A positive link that your stance seems to undermine.
Our local water company continues to discharge raw sewerage. I would have hoped that you would want to see that stop.
I look forward to hearing your explanation of your actions.
Stuart Jeffery
