Bexhill and Hastings MPs' calls to tackle sewage discharges in sea

Both Bexhill and Battle MP, Huw Merriman and Sally-Ann Hart, MP for Hastings and Rye, secured a Westminster debate on Wednesday (October 12).

They said they used the time to put forward a number of proposals to the Environment Minister, Trudy Harrison MP, to help expedite the removal of sewage from sea and rivers through combined sewer overflows.

In August, Bexhill and Normans Bay beaches were closed for two days after sewage was discharged into the sea, with Southern Water blaming a failure at its pumping station at Galley Hill for the incident.

Mr Merriman said: “While the Sewage Discharge Plan is an excellent start by the Government to remove disgusting sewage pollution from our bathing waters and rivers, I don’t believe this in itself will be enough to clean up our waters and I would like to see more ambitious targets.

"The centuries-old system of combined sewage overflows has to be fixed and it is right this is being prioritised. However, it is clear from talking to a wide range of stakeholders that not all the pollution warnings about the quality of bathing water at Bexhill are the direct result sewage spills. We need to carry out far more detailed work to understand the sources of pollutants coming off our roads and agricultural land during times of rainfall too as this water enters our sea. That’s why I used the debate to call on the Government to invest resources in improving the water testing and monitoring regimes, removing surface water from our sewage system, putting more controls regarding sewage and surface water into the planning system.”

Mrs Hart said: “For decades the issue of sewage discharges has been overlooked by successive governments and the public, including residents of Hastings and Rye, rightly expect and deserve clean seas and rivers for the enjoyment of all.

“The debate was an opportunity for me to highlight the frustrations of the many constituents who have contacted me about the issue with ministers, as well as to emphasise the welcome and much-needed measures already being taken by the Government to tackle it.”

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