GENERAL ELECTION: Lancaster candidates speak out on 'absolute disgrace' of water pollution

Lancaster & Wyre general election candidates have called for action to end 'the sewage scandal' polluting our waterways.

They were speaking out after a Beyond Radio listener asked if they would "commit to making sure no sewage goes in our waterways and to sustainable clean water by 2030, as our waterways are polluted and we need to hold our water companies to account".

Sewage spills into England's rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023.

According to the Environment Agency there were 3.6 million hours of spills compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022, which Water UK, the industry body for sewerage companies, said was due to heavy rain and increased data collection.

Rules allow a limited discharge of excess sewage during periods of excess rain, but there is also evidence of "dry spills", which can damage the local environment and pose a health risk to swimmers.

Four of the five Lancaster & Wyre candidates were taking questions sent in by listeners during the 'Beyond the Ballot' debate before the election on July 4.

The debate was broadcast on Beyond Radio on Friday.

LISTEN: Lancaster & Wyre 'Beyond the Ballot' debate - Beyond Radio

Jack Lenox, Green Party candidate, said: "I've seen the impact on the River Wyre. It's devastating. It's the failure of the experiment of water privatisation. 

"We didn't always measure the quality of our waterways but if you look at us in comparison to many other of our European neighbours, where those measurements happen, we are really really bad. We are really bad when it comes to our beaches.

"We want a Rights of Nature Act to prevent some of the environmental crimes we are seeing. 

"A lot of what we know about the quality of our waterways is coming from citizen science projects, where people are measuring it themselves. This is what primary school children are being taught now, how to measure how much sewage there is in the river. It's an absolute disgrace.

"We need bodies like the Environment Agency to have the backing and the teeth to hold these private businesses to account when they break the rules we set for them."

Cat Smith, who was MP for Lancaster & Fleetwood from 2015 to 2024 and will stand for Labour in Lancaster & Wyre (pictured below), said: "It's not just something I feel strongly about, the young people at Moorside Primary School in Lancaster recently invited me in to meet with them and talk about it.

"Kids can get their heads around this. Our waterways are precious. You don't dump sewage in them. It's really not rocket science.

"Since the privatisation of the water companies, we've not seen the investment. We have seen huge profits paid out to shareholders and big salaries for the people who run these companies. 

"It's something I hear about wherever I go in Lancaster and Wyre. I was recently out campaigning in St Michael's and the biggest issue I heard from residents was their concerns about the water quality on the River Wyre. 

"I believe that the current system of the privatised water companies is failing our environment and is something that should be changed and shaken up."

Peter Cartridge, Conservative candidate (pictured below), said: "The waterways are very precious, I am a teacher, and it is an issue children feel very very passionate about. 

"We are taking action upon this now. We are monitoring 100 per cent of our waterways for water quality. When Labour were in power only seven per cent of overflows were monitored.

"We are taking effective action to prosecute water companies who pollute. £150m worth of fines so far. I believe these fines need to be increased."

Ms Smith replied: "A Labour Government would absolutely keep monitoring the waterways. The reality is, there is an acknowledgement that how things are, is not working."

Matt Severn, Liberal Democrats candidate (pictured below), said: "Our waterways, rivers, beaches, lakes, are in an absolute state and it's horrific what's been allowed to happen.

"The Liberal Democrats will end the sewage scandal. We will set legally binding targets to prevent sewage dumping into bathing waters and highly sensitive nature sites. We will introduce a sewage tax on the profits of water companies. We will replace the failing Ofwat regulator with a proper tough new regulator with new powers to prevent sewage dumps.

"It is awful what has been allowed to happen. Our rivers and even our tap water is becoming unsafe. It needs urgent action right away."

Water was privatised in England and Wales in 1989. This involved the transfer of the provision of water and wastewater services, sewerage and sewage disposal, from the state to privately-owned companies, through the sale of the 10 regional water authorities.

Peter Cartridge said: "Pre-privatisation you had a water system which was basically a legacy of the Victorian era. The amount of money which is needed to actually replace and upgrade that system is absolutely enormous.

"Post-privatisation yes there have been dividends from companies to private shareholders, but the fact remains there has been a much greater level of investment in our water system. OK, it's not enough. I do agree the regulator needs greater powers."

Analysis by the University of Greenwich recently suggested that investors had withdrawn £85.2bn from 10 water and sewage firms in England and Wales since the industry was privatised more than 30 years ago.

Ofwat, the industry regulator, strongly refuted the figures.

They said it "does not represent the true total given it is inflation-adjusted" and said the true figure since privatisation was £52bn.

Water UK said investment had been "double the annual levels seen before privatisation".

Sewage spills have only been monitored for a few years, but overall water quality has been monitored for decades.

Read more: Lancaster school pupils speak out in campaign to save Lake Windermere from pollution - Beyond Radio

Read more: GENERAL ELECTION: Conservative says sorry for party scandals as candidates vow to restore public faith in politics - Beyond Radio

GENERAL ELECTION: Labour candidate speaks of frustration at 'warriors on social media' as she defends student flats - Beyond Radio

GENERAL ELECTION: Lib Dem's moving words for his family during debate on social care - Beyond Radio

GENERAL ELECTION: Lancaster & Wyre candidates explain why they should be next MP - Beyond Radio

*We invited all the Lancaster & Wyre candidates to take part in our debate in person, or alternatively provide a mission statement.

A spokesperson for Reform UK said that their Lancaster & Wyre candidate Nigel Alderson would not be attending the debate.