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Water companies have been accused of failing to monitor how much sewage is being pumped into the sea.
According to Environment Agency data analysed by the Liberal Democrats, sewage monitors installed by UK water firms did not work “90% of the time” or had not been installed at all.
Dozens of pollution warnings were put in place across beaches and swimming spots in England and Wales this week after heavy rain overwhelmed sewer systems, leading water companies to release sewage into the natural environment.
Ministers are under pressure to clamp down on the water firms which are being criticised for not investing money back into the UK’s outdated water infrastructure.
Boris Johnson’s father Stanley blamed his son’s administration for the sewage problem.
In an interview with the prime minister’s sister Rachel Johnson on LBC radio, Stanley Johnson said: “We have to blame the government for not pressing this matter as hard as it should’ve done.
“Absent the EU push as well, you can understand how the government felt able to not push this thing as it should’ve pushed.”
The data shows Anglian Water has the highest rate of failure, with 49% of all its sewage discharges not measured due to faulty or no monitors installed, according to the Lib Dems.
This is followed by South West Water with 30% and Severn Trent Water with 29%.
One in eight of South West Water’s sewage monitors installed at designated bathing locations across Cornwall and Devon are either faulty or not installed, the party said.
In Sussex, Southern Water was found to have altogether failed to install one at the popular seaside spot of Littlehampton Pier while one in Seaford was working only a third of the time.
Read more:
Huge increase in raw sewage released into UK waterways and sea, data reveals
The Lib Dems’ environment spokesperson, Tim Farron MP, said: “These water companies could be guilty of gross negligence by failing to install sewage monitors.
“This is a national scandal and these…
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Source : skynews
