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South West Water: Performance — [Sir George Howarth in the Chair]
28 February 2023
Lead MP
Simon Jupp
Responding Minister
Rebecca Pow
Tags
EconomyAgriculture & Rural Affairs
Word Count: 9408
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Simon Jupp raised concerns about south west water: performance — [sir george howarth in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Jupp calls on South West Water to invest more in infrastructure and urges the Minister to ensure that water companies maintain monitors and fix faults immediately. He also asks for better transparency about progress on reducing storm overflow discharges and for financial penalties to be used effectively as a deterrent.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Simon Jupp is concerned about the excessive sewage and rainwater ending up in rivers and seas due to storm overflow discharges. He mentions that South West Water's infrastructure cannot cope with the growing population and heavier storms, leading to poor water quality. The company has been relying too much on storm overflows without addressing underlying issues and has a one-star rating for environmental performance by the Environment Agency.
Newton Abbot
The water industry is heavily regulated but regulators need to work effectively together. South West Water did not perform well, receiving a £13.3 million fine and only one star for environmental performance. The company spent 46% of its allowance on improvements, which raises questions about why there was such a low spend given the size of the problems. There is a need to understand whether the argument about underspend due to privatisation is justified and how investment can be put back.
Anthony Mangnall
Con
Fylde
He stated that it is incorrect to suggest that any Member of Parliament voted to allow sewage to flow into rivers or onto the coastline, emphasizing that recent legislation addresses this issue. Mangnall acknowledged the work of his colleague Simon Jupp and expressed disappointment with Richard Foord's lack of suggestions. He highlighted South West Water's successes but also its failures, particularly in meeting water supply interruption performance targets and having poor pollution incident performance. Mangnall noted the need for meaningful action to address these issues and suggested that fines should be clear and swift in implementation to ensure they are used effectively. He also mentioned his local initiatives to enhance public understanding of water quality improvements. Asked the Government to show that £56 billion of investment from water companies is adequate, highlighting South West Water's performance issues and questioning if fines are transparently communicated.
Kevin Foster
Con
Torbay and South Devon
My hon. Friend highlighted that increased monitoring has brought attention to sewage discharge issues which have been ongoing for decades.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
The MP highlighted numerous complaints from constituents about South West Water's poor performance, including sewage pollution in rivers and on beaches, disruption due to burst water pipes, high bills with CEO bonuses and shareholder dividends despite underperforming maintenance budgets. He criticised the company for failing basic functions while increasing charges and called for stronger regulation. Intervened multiple times, questioning figures such as over 350,000 hours of dumping in South West Water's areas, including onto prestigious blue-flag beaches.
Ruth Jones
Lab
Newport West and Islwyn
Critiqued the Government's inaction on sewage discharges, poor water quality, leaks, and investment shortfalls. Emphasised South West Water's worst performance rating from regulators and called for immediate action to improve infrastructure.
Government Response
Rebecca Pow
Government Response
Thanked East Devon MP for raising the issue of South West Water's performance and acknowledged the serious concerns about its environmental impact. Discussed data on pollution incidents, storm sewage overflows, leakage rates, and positive actions being taken by South West Water such as the £45 million WaterFit project. Highlighted government initiatives to improve monitoring and enforcement through regulatory measures, including fines for non-compliance, and plans for future investments in water infrastructure improvements.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.