By Scunthorpe MP votes to continue dumping raw sewage into local rivers
On Wednesday 20 October, many MPs including Scunthorpe MP Holly Mumby-Croft voted down an amendment to the Environment Bill which would prevent raw sewage from being dumped into local rivers.
Environment Secretary George Eustice advised MPs to reject amendments to the bill, which would legally require water companies to reduce the discharge of raw sewage and waste into rivers and seas- including the River Humber and the River Trent.
This vote comes just days before Boris Johnson hosts world leaders at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
Data from the Environment Agency shows that sewage was dumped into rivers and seas over 400,000 times in the last year.
The River Trust also shared that 523 spills occurred as a result of sewer storm overflows in 2020 into the River Humber alone, warning swimmers not to enter these waters when spills take place.
Sewer storm overflows occur when excess rainwater mixed with raw sewage is deposited straight into rivers or sea, bypassing the wastewater treatment process temporarily.
Many wastewater treatment works have large storm tanks, which collect this untreated sewage and rainwater before it enters the river, and then treat it later, once the water levels in the treatment works have dropped.
Hugo Tagholm, the CEO of environmental group Surfers Against Sewage, said: “In this most important of environmental decades, it’s shocking that the government recommended that MPs reject progressive and ambitious amendments that would protect water, air and nature.
“Why wouldn’t they want water companies to have a legal obligation not to pollute our rivers and ocean with sewage, for example?
“It beggars belief and hardly shows a commitment to be the greenest government ever. It’s time for more ambitious thinking and law that builds protected nature back into public ownership rather than leaving it to the ravages of shareholder interests.”
Holly Mumby-Croft has been contacted for comment.
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