Paul Knocker, Bembridge:

The report by Oliver Dyer (CP 17-03-23) on the Southern Water event in Newport was both revealing and of great concern. 

Katy Taylor admitted that dealing with the storm sewage discharges is “going to take a lot of time”. 

The article records the current government targets - “Storm overflows should have no more than ten spills on average per year by 2050”. 

This is just not good enough.

The UK water companies were privatised in 1989, regulated by The Water Industry Act 1991, so they have had over 30 years to improve the infrastructure to stop the leaks.

In 2020 across the country this was losing three billion litres of water every day - and having to deal with the problem of combined sewers, which cause the untreated sewage discharges after a rain storm. 

I hardly think offering free water butts is a serious solution.

Ofwat is the regulator, and should be held to account for the failure of the water companies to ensure water security, including new reservoirs, and deal with pollution of our rivers and the sea.

Southern Water provides services to over four million customers in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 

Last year it was ranked as the poorest performer compared to other water companies, and was fined £90 million for illegally dumping sewage. 

The company is owned by Greensands Holdings, a consortium of international infrastructure investors. 

The CEO in 2021/2022 was Mr McAulay, whose salary and bonus for that year totalled £1,082,000.

In the same paper, Louise Hill takes a fresh look at the proposed Pennyfeathers development of 900 new homes in Ryde. 

No doubt the IW Planning Department have given due consideration to this increase in demand for water, sewage management, and other essential services.