Water Quality Shock

Photo of Brian attached taking part in the ‘River Blitz’ last summer at the Bybrook in Box, where ‘citizen scientists’ were asked by the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust to undertake water testing of their local rivers.

New figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Wessex Water discharged sewage a staggering 41,453 times last year, an 89% rise compared to in 2022. 

Dr Brian Mathew, Liberal Democrat prospective MP for Melksham and Devizes, is 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.

Brian said:

“It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into rivers and waterways across the Melksham and Devizes constituency. 

Our community should not be forced to put up with this any longer, yet time and again this Conservative government has voted against tougher action on sewage dumping. 

Here in Wiltshire, the Liberal Democrats have been leading the way in holding water companies to account and have called for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers. We need to see a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways and our local community is protected from this filth."