MP fights for improved Tone water quality

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, has taken his fight for improved water quality in the River Tone to Parliament.
He spoke on Monday during the debate on the Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill which proposes a range of measures to clean up the country’s waterways.
Mr Amos said he welcomed the Bill but wished it would go much further.
“As long as Ofwat has a duty to protect profits and returns for shareholders but not to protect the environment, it will be more of a tame kitten than a watchdog.
“When it comes to managing the quality of our water and our waterways, profiteering surely has no place in the equation, which is why we want to see privatised water companies replaced with not-for-profit companies.
“Water companies also need to be held to account for longer when it comes to investing in the infrastructure that is needed.”
Mr Amos, himself a keen river swimmer, called for an end to ‘de-designation’ which meant bathing sites lost their status if they were deemed to have poor quality for five years.
“From preparing and submitting its bathing water status application – with a lot of support from the hard-working volunteers of the Friends of French Weir Park – I know how much goes into designating a bathing water such as the Tone in Taunton.
“Wessex Water and the Environment Agency have made it clear that we can get improvements in water quality in the Tone in five years … but they are unlikely to be enough to protect its designation unless more time is available.”
Mr Amos added: “Having canvassed the views of my fellow swimmers the other day, I know how much people want to see the river improved.
“We therefore need to give rural communities the support they need for water restoration.
“We need to establish a tough regulator bound by legal duties to protect the environment, not just profits, and give bathing waters enough time to be brought up to standard without the threat of de-designation and being pushed into the ‘too difficult’ pile.”
The bathing place at Taunton’s French Weir on the Tone has been used by swimmers since at least the 19th century.
Following its recent designation for the first time as an official Bathing Water Site, data on water quality has been revealed for the first time, showing worrying periods of poor water quality in the river.
To establish plans to improve water quality, Mr Amos has recently joined a new Environment Agency working group set up as a result of its designation.