Adam Dance speaks out on increased sewage dumping figures

New figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Wessex Water, which covers most of the Yeovil constituency, discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 372,341 hours last year.

That is a 187% increase on 2022. 

Local Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in local rivers, including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator.

The party has also called for a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis, including the sitting MP for Yeovil, Marcus Fysh.

Adam Dance, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Yeovil, said:

“It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into local rivers and waterways. 

“It’s unbelievable that  the Conservative Government is allowing water firms to get away with this. Local people are furious that Conservative politicians blocked tougher action on these disgraced firms.

"The Liberal Democrats are calling for immediate action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers/beaches including replacing OfWat with a regulator that has real teeth to clamp down on these polluting firms.

“We have also called for a ban on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways."