Jess Brown-Fuller calls out Southern Water over funding costly effluent recycling scheme instead of fixing leaky pipes

Jess Brown-Fuller, MP for Chichester, used a parliamentary debate on water scarcity to deliver a forceful rebuke of Southern Water’s management and spending priorities. The debate, hosted by fellow Sussex MP John Milne, focused on the rising concern of a deficit in the supply of fresh water compared to demand. The South-East has been designated as water-stressed since 2021.

Jess Brown-Fuller highlighted a series of long-standing failures by Southern Water, focusing on environmental harm, financial mismanagement, and a lack of commitment to water-saving measures such as grey-water systems. She drew particular attention to the over-extraction of chalk streams, including the River Ems, where the point of constant flow has shifted two kilometres downstream since the 1960s, a stark indicator of ecological decline.

Jess also challenged the management of Southern Water, criticising their CEO for having their pay nearly doubled in the face of a ban on bonuses, and questioning the company’s decision to fund a £1.2bn effluent recycling site at Havant Thicket while simultaneously losing 100 million litres of water per day through leaky pipes. Concerns raised by residents about the lack of necessary infrastructure to support new housing developments were also highlighted by Brown-Fuller. She cited a development in Bosham, which Southern Water has admitted it does not have the capacity to support. This means residents could potentially move in without adequate water infrastructure.

After the speech Jess Brown-Fuller MP said:

“Water scarcity poses a national risk, with far-reaching consequences for residents, our natural environment and our long-term economic resilience. Chichester residents know this all too well, having endured years of failure at the hands of Southern Water.”

“This week’s debate was another vital opportunity to push the Government on the decisive action needed, especially when it comes to water companies that have been allowed to deliver poor service, damage our environment, and raise bills scandalously while failing to get the basics right.”

“The Government must finally act to protect our chalk streams, ensure new developments are backed by proper infrastructure, and fix the leaks that are wasting millions of litres of water every single day.”