Water Commission interim report: Lib Dems say cleaning up water industry will “take more than a hose down” as Yorkshire Water pumps 430,263 hours of sewage

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon is urging the Government to finally scrap Ofwat and replace it with a new regulator with the power to hold polluting water companies accountable. 

This comes after an interim report from Sir Jon Cuncliffe’s Water Commission was released this week arguing that the water industry needs a “fundamental reset”. The full report is expected ‘later this summer’. 

Latest figures from the Government show that last year, Yorkshire Water pumped 430,263 hours worth of sewage into waterways, according to new data published today. 

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom has joined the Nidd Action Group, local Knaresborough Councillor Hannah Gostlow and the local community in campaigning for an end to sewage dumping in the River Nidd. Since being elected, Tom has met with local groups and the Environment Agency to discuss the situation, as well as meeting with Yorkshire Water’s CEO. 

This news comes following months of scandal for Yorkshire Water, including paying out a vast £371,000 bonus to their CEO, being criticised for failing to deal with customer complaints, and revelations that the company loses 115 litres of water per property every day.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to replace Ofwat with a new regulator, a Clean Water Authority, with proper enforcement powers to hold water companies to account and put a stop to the sewage scandal. 

Tom Gordon, Lib Dem MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough said: 

“It's going to take more than a hose down to clean up the water industry. It’s time for Ofwat to go and the Commission must now make this plain. 

“This report makes it painfully clear that water companies can pollute and make profit with impunity - all at customers' expense. At the heart of the sewage scandal is a regulatory system which has failed. 

“Liberal Democrats across Harrogate and Knaresborough will continue to campaign hard to protect the River Nidd and in Parliament I’ll keep fighting for much tougher regulation of a water industry which is profiting from pollution.”

ENDS