Gideon Amos calls for urgent action on sewage crisis

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, has responded to the government announcing a new review of the water industry by calling for the regulator Ofwat to be replaced.

Yesterday (Wednesday), the government announced a new Independent Water Commission to deliver the biggest review of the industry since privatisation.

However, the Liberal Democrats have called for more urgency in dealing with the sewage crisis, which plagues Britain’s rivers, lakes and coastlines.

The party has previously revealed that there were 1,736 sewage spills in the former Taunton Deane constituency last year.

It helped prompt Mr Amos to apply for, and obtain, Bathing Water Status for the River Tone, working with the Friends of French Weir Park.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, in a debate led by Tim Farron MP, Mr Amos congratulated the Friends for helping win Bathing Water Status and the promise of investment for the River Tone.

But he was critical that “funding reductions to the Environment Agency over the course of the last government” mean not enough investment has been provided to date.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Amos added: "While this review of the water industry is welcome, we need urgent action now, including a new regulator with real teeth, to get the water quality improvements that are needed.

“The legacy of the privatised water companies from the last government is one of sewage, pollution and profiteering – that has to end now and any delay in cleaning up rivers like the Tone would be unacceptable.”