Comment: Residents Deserve Clean Rivers, Not Sewage Spills

Last week, I met with the Environment Agency to discuss its recent inspections of Southern Water’s wastewater assets, which resulted in the company being issued with over 400 improvement actions across all its sites. 

The findings were deeply concerning and indicated that site health across the network is not where it should be. Fourteen of the inspections took place in Chichester and revealed a range of concerns, including inadequate maintenance, poorly maintained screening equipment, and weaknesses in storm tank management. 

Jess Brown-Fuller visiting the Summer Lane wastewater treatment works.

Although the storm overflows in the constituency were being used within the permitted numbers, multiple sites are expected to reduce their spills to single digit numbers within the coming years and looking at the data, it is very difficult to imagine Southern Water being able to reach those targets within the timeframe, when storm overflows are polluting our precious chalk streams and harbour at high rates. The storm overflow has been ‘discharging’ into the River Lavant for over two weeks, harming a fragile ecosystem that should support an abundance of wildlife and plant species. When I visited the river with the Western Sussex Rivers Trust, samples from the river showed a worrying decline in biodiversity.

It is therefore no surprise that confidence in Southern Water remains extremely low. My inbox reflects that reality every day. Residents are frustrated, worried, and tired of hearing promises that do not translate into consistent improvement on the ground.

I continue to meet regularly with Southern Water to scrutinise the measures it is putting in place to reduce sewage spills. There are some positive developments, and I will give credit where it is due. Recently, I visited the Summer Lane wastewater treatment works in Pagham, where a £21 million investment has significantly increased capacity and reduced nitrates in the treated water exponentially. The works can now treat more than 60% additional wastewater to a higher standard, reducing the frequency of storm overflow discharges. This is welcome progress, but improvements must be delivered across the entire constituency, not just at isolated sites.  

Meanwhile, in Highgrove, Bosham, a lack of wastewater capacity has left 300 homes unable to connect. An infrastructure‑first approach is essential: wastewater systems must be in place before new homes are built. Communities cannot be expected to shoulder the consequences of inadequate planning and under-investment.

I will be pursuing all maintenance failures identified by the Environment Agency through every available channel, and in Parliament. We have some of the most precious bodies of water in our area and they deserve to be protected and enhanced, and I will keep fighting until they have it.