Petition launched to restore Sussex's rivers after Parliament vote to weaken water regulator

On April 24, Parliament voted to impose a 'growth duty' on Ofwat, requiring it to consider growth when taking action against polluting water companies.

The new duty is likely to weaken the ability of the regulator to force water companies to reduce the amount of sewage pumped into England's rivers and seas, according to campaigners including Wildlife and Countryside Link and Surfers Against Sewage.

In 2023, water companies discharged raw sewage into England's rivers for a combined total of 3.6 million hours. This pollution causes serious damage, including to rivers in Sussex like the Ouse, Uck, Adur, Arun and Cuckmere. According to the Environment Agency, 0% of England's river stretches are in good health.

In response, Sussex's Liberal Democrats have launched a petition calling for the growth duty to be removed. It also calls for water companies to become Public Benefit Companies that are required to prioritise the environment alongside profit.

Benedict Dempsey, parliamentary candidate for East Grinstead and Uckfield, said: "Sussex has some of the country's most beautiful rivers. But for too long, water companies have prioritised their profits and dividends over the environment. This new duty makes that even more likely.

"It's time for this pollution to stop. We need to change the way water companies are run so that they have a duty to restore nature as well as turn a profit.

"I know thousands of Sussex residents love and value our rivers. With a general election coming soon, now is the time to send a clear message to all MPs and parliamentary candidates in Sussex that we want to clean our rivers up. I ask anyone who agrees to sign our petition."

An Ofwat spokesperson said: ''The government's proposed statutory guidance for the growth duty is clear that non-compliant activity or behaviour that undermines protections to the detriment of consumers and the environment needs to be appropriately dealt with by regulators.

"We will continue our work as a regulator to hold water companies to account and drive better performance and outcomes for customers and the environment.''

The petition can be found at www.leweslibdems.org.uk/rivers