Isle of Wight MP challenges water boss to face civic leaders

Following a week of bad news for the utility giant, the MP has issued a strong statement.

Southern Water’s reputation has taken a huge battering over a number of issues:

• It was fined £90 million for a series of environmental offences along the south coast and in the Solent. Read more here
• It was given a two-star “requires improvement” rating by The Environment Agency, one of only two. Read more here
• Southern Water admitted this week the spillage into the Eastern Yar at Alverstone last week was sewage. Read more here
• Following Monday’s heavy rain, stormwater was released into the sea around the Island coast...something organisations such as Surfers Against Sewage have long campaigned against, even though it is permitted.

The storm water alerts posted by Southern Water on Wednesday this week.

Mr Seely said: “Southern Water’s actions are appalling and frankly unforgivable because some have been deliberate acts.

“They showed a cynicism which is breathtaking. I, and other MPs, talked with Southern Water a few weeks ago before the verdict about what needs to be done to improve.

“I have invited the chief executive of Southern Water to the Island to meet with myself, councillors and council officers to discuss what specifically can be done in relation to raw sewage discharges from the Island into the Solent and the English Channel.

“I look forward to, frankly, a penitent and conciliatory approach from them.

“I would like to thank residents from Sandown, East Cowes, Totland and other areas, who have kept me informed of the situation in regards to Southern Water over the past couple of years. I also pay tribute to the work by Surfers Against Sewage.

“It is not acceptable for Southern Water to be behaving in this way when I hear that people are suffering from infections and other ailments arising from the water quality near where these discharges have occurred.

“I would like to add however, that for the most part, we continue to have good quality bathing water in the beaches around the IW.”

Over the £90 million court case, the current chief executive of Southern Water Ian McAulay told the BBC: “We have heard what the judge has said today and will reflect closely on the sentence and his remarks.

“He has rightly put the environment front and centre which is what matters to all of us.”

The company issued a statement this week on the stormwater releases saying: “The reason we are permitted by the Environment Agency to discharge stormwater after a downpour are simple. If we don’t allow this highly-diluted stormwater out then our customers’ homes will flood.

“Earlier this year we completed a vast storm storage tank tunnelled beneath Arthur’s Hill in Shanklin. This will cut storm discharges by about a third.

“We give data on storm overflows in real-time to allow recreational water users to make a judgement as to whether they want to go in the water.”