This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Raw sewage pumped into local rivers for hundreds of hours
03/11/2021
Cherwell’s Labour Group Leader attacks Banbury’s MP for voting against legislation to ban the practise
Raw sewage was pumped into our local rivers and streams for hundreds of hours last year. The worst performing site in the Banbury FM area was in Bloxham where the sewer storm overflow spilled on 119 separate occasions during 2020, for a total of 2,323 hours – the equivalent of 96 days.
Elsewhere the Shutford sewer storm overflow spilled 114 times for a total of 1,530 hours into Shutford Stream.
Other stations also recording spills during 2020 including Horley 69 times (609 hours) into Sor Brook; Hanwell 85 times (929 hours); Hornton 39 times (374 hours) into Hornton Stream; Banbury 38 times (288 hours) – although some data is missing; and Clifton 29 times (166 hours) into Clifton Brook.
Across the Banbury and Bicester Constituency there were a total of 829 spills lasting 9,769 hours last year.
Cherwell District Council Labour Group Leader Councillor Sean Woodcock is shocked by the statistics. He said: “These figures are utterly revolting. Raw sewage is being pumped into local waterways for the equivalent of hours every single day. This has to stop, it’s bad for the environment, it’s bad for local families, and frankly it’s utterly disgusting.”
In parliament two weeks ago the Duke of Wellington, Charles Wellesley, put forward an amendment to the Environment Bill to attempt to eliminate the harm caused to the environment and public health by the discharge of untreated sewage into rivers. Despite being passed in the House of Lords the motion was defeated in the House of Commons where 265 Conservative MPs voted against it.
Amongst them was Banbury’s MP Victoria Prentis.
Councillor Sean Woodcock said: “People in Banbury and Bicester will find it utterly astonishing that Victoria Prentis, has voted against a ban on pumping raw sewage into our waterways.
“After eleven years in power this is the state the Conservatives have left us in. Britain is better than this. It’s time for a change.”
However Mrs Prentis defended her actions. She said: “The amount of sewage discharge by water companies into our rivers is not acceptable. We have made it crystal clear to water companies that they must significantly reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows as a priority. If we do not start to see significant improvements, we will not hesitate to take action through a swathe of new measures directly on water companies in the Environment Bill.
I did not vote to allow water companies to pump sewage into our rivers as some campaigns have caricatured in recent days. I voted in favour of a package of measures to reduce harms from storm overflows including: a new duty on government to produce a statutory plan to reduce discharges from storm overflows, as well as a new duty directly on water companies to produce comprehensive statutory drainage and sewerage management plans. Water companies will also be required to monitor water quality upstream and downstream of storm overflows, and publish near real time information on their operation.
“The reasons as to why we were unable to accept the Duke of Wellington’s well-intentioned amendment still stand. The complete elimination of discharges from storm overflows would be extremely challenging. Initial assessments suggest that total elimination would cost anywhere from £150 billion to £600 billion. This process could involve the complete separation of sewerage systems, leading to potentially significant disruption for homes, businesses and infrastructure across the country. Customer bill increases, potentially amounting to many hundreds of pounds, and other trade-offs against other water industry priorities would be unavoidable. We need to understand what such trade-offs might be.”
The legislation is expected to return to the Commons on Monday 8 November.
Banbury FM raised the issue of the sewage spills with Thames Water. A spokesperson told us: “Our aim will always be to try and do the right thing for our rivers and for the communities who love and value them. By working with local partners we’re actively listening to our customers, who want us to do more. Our planned investment in our sewer network and upgrading sewage treatment works across our region will help improve the situation.
“It’s our view that discharges of untreated sewage are simply unacceptable, even when they are legally permitted, and we’ll work with the government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency to accelerate work to stop them being necessary.
“We have a long way to go – and we certainly can’t do it on our own – but the ambition is clear.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam