A new law intended to prevent raw sewage being released into the Wye and other rivers was passed this week with the backing of Herefordshire’s two MPs. But campaigners say it doesn’t go far enough.
Last month the Commons controversially rejected a House of Lords amendment to the Environment Bill that would have brought in penalties on water companies that permit storm overflows leading to raw sewage entering water courses.
These are thought to contribute to the deteriorating ecological health of the Wye.
The Government then introduced its own amendment which was voted through on Monday. With this final hurdle cleared, the Bill has now become law.
Calling sewage discharges “absolutely unacceptable”, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow told the Commons on Monday: “We are placing a legal duty on water companies to… reduce these or face strong enforcement action.”
But local campaign group Save the Wye Tweeted: “No Wye catchment MP voted for the tougher Lords amendment which would have strengthened legislation.”
The Rivers Trust said the wording of the government’s amendment “is weaker, with too much room for broad interpretation”, and has “significant loopholes”.
Herefordshire MPs Jesse Norman and Bill Wiggin voted for the Government amendment but not the earlier Lords amendment.
The Golden Valley Action Group Tweeted that in doing so, Mr Norman had “voted to allow the water companies to continue dumping sewage”.
Mr Norman said the Lords amendment “was admirable in spirit, but its wording was vague and so potentially unenforceable, adding: “The Government’s revised amendment was designed to address this.”
As it now takes effect, this will “ensure there is a clear and effective legal regime by which sewage discharges can be reduced and, I hope, eliminated”, he said.
North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin added: “This week saw the end of a long struggle to prevent flood waters from washing untreated sewage into the river Wye.
“We have succeeded in bringing in a new law to prevent this and to force water companies to actively stop this sort of pollution.”
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