Improving water quality
Water quality is a key issue which residents consistently raise with me.
From sewage spills to rising bills and the overall poor performance of our water companies, we are all rightly fed up with the state of our waterways.
To address this, I have repeatedly raised residents’ concerns in Parliament and directly with Southern Water.
I am also working with residents, sea swimming groups and councillors to set up regular citizen-science seawater testing along our coast from Southwick to East Worthing, through working with Peter Kyle MP’s team, who successfully established a Hove testing site.
In Worthing, I am delighted that testing will be fully funded by Southern Water and facilitated by South Downs Leisure – I look forward to attending the first testing session imminently.
Meanwhile, local volunteers have been using Hove’s site to test local seawater samples from Southwick, Shoreham, and Lancing.
Nationally, this Labour Government has worked to clean up our water industry through our landmark Water (Special Measures) Act, which ringfenced bill increases for much-needed infrastructure improvements and banned bonuses for poorly performing water bosses.
During last week’s Labour Party Conference, the Prime Minister committed to greater public control of water through our Clean Water Bill and pledged to scrap the Thatcher era ban on public ownership of water companies.
More widely on water, I have been working with Dr Beccy Cooper MP and the Worthing Lido Community Group to explore the feasibility of an outdoor swimming facility along Worthing’s seafront. I am also pleased that the Shoreham Flood Wall will finally be completed this year after many years of delay.