Cleaning up our rivers: I recently supported the Government’s Environment Bill which helps to clean up our rivers and protect our environment. Since then, I’ve received a flurry of abusive emails from those who have, as often is the case, read the ‘expert’ opinion of others on Facebook.

Last week, MPs voted on the Government’s Environment Bill which is a brilliant piece of new legislation which strengthens many of our existing environmental laws (I should know – I was the Private Parliamentary Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs when this piece of legislation was drafted).

During the course of the debate, I voted against an uncosted amendment which would have seen households in Southport pay thousands of extra pounds in water bills - money which I know most families don’t have. This has seen many of the usual agitators suggest that ‘Tory MPs voted for raw sewage to be pumped into rivers!’ - a laughable, inaccurate and ridiculous claim which ignores the safeguards and work which is ongoing to protect our rivers and which I voted for as part of the Bill.

I did not support the Lords’ section of amendment 45 for one very important reason. The age of our sewerage system means the complete elimination of storm overflows would be extremely challenging. Notably, initial assessments suggest elimination would cost between £150 - £660 billion. To put that in perspective, that is nearly £10,000 for every person in the United Kingdom. This would undoubtedly lead to customer bill increases and trade-offs against other water industry priorities.

It could also be a huge liability for the taxpayer as government would ultimately be responsible for ensuring that this work would be carried out and would have to underwrite the cost. The threat that households could have faced huge increases in their bills if this amendment was approved was very real. I suspect that 99.99% of people wouldn’t support a huge increase in their water bills and I make no apology for voting this amendment down to protect working families.

I did, however, vote to implement a number of new measures to address the harm caused by storm overflows, which you can read here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2593

I hope this information is useful and reassures my constituents that clear and effective action is being taken to address storm overflows. I hope it also addresses the ridiculous suggestion that raw sewage will be visible from Southport’s pier!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/damienmooremp/

A simple question to a simple politician, who pays for the cost of untreated sewage being regularly discharged into our rivers and coastal waters? And what effect does it have on the environment? Is the Tory Party now the government of effluent?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a7459336.html

Dear Moore,
Since your lot privatised everything that moved could you tell us how many £millions have been given away to shareholders over the last 40 years by the Water Companies that could have been spent renewing the sewers and water mains.

Don't forget you have form for Privatising then like the BBC with free licences you lump it on to them and blame them for not being able to afford it.
It is akin to buying an old Ford Transit load it with bricks and cement and when the rusty heap collapses you blame Ford.

Essex beach closed after sewage leak

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-b1945361.html

https://www.sas.org.uk/map/

He's talking $h!t again.

Well, what can I say? condescending that's what. I own my house and it needs work -can you please pay for that for me? After all that's what happens with privatization is it not? You are elected to support your constituents, Not to have a paddy on the internet or are your divies due?

Pre pack press release?

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...n-social-media

Originally Posted by Nash

A simple question to a simple politician, who pays for the cost of untreated sewage being regularly discharged into our rivers and coastal waters? And what effect does it have on the environment? Is the Tory Party now the government of effluent?

Isn't that three questions ? ?

Originally Posted by r4dent

Isn't that three questions ? ?

I doubt that he can count to three.

This situation hasn't just happened, has been going progressively worse ever since privatisation, if the privatised utilities had been doing as they should much of this would have been done, plus of course when these companies took on the contracts they must have been aware of the state of equipment and structure.

For Moore to come out with the EXCXUSE that Tory MPs were concerned about the cost to householders, even my cat is smiling sarcastically at that one.

Originally Posted by silver fox

This situation hasn't just happened, has been going progressively worse ever since privatisation, if the privatised utilities had been doing as they should much of this would have been done, plus of course when these companies took on the contracts they must have been aware of the state of equipment and structure.

For Moore to come out with the EXCXUSE that Tory MPs were concerned about the cost to householders, even my cat is smiling sarcastically at that one.

I think the Water Companies are doing it because they can and it saves money - for them.
The discharging of raw sewage was an emergency backstop for high rainfall events, it appears now that they appear to take advantage and automatically stop treating sewage whenever it rains.

I don't think being in public hands is necessarily the answer but I certainly agree that the lax control of these companies has allowed some to take advantage.

This is not a new problem and happened during a pre-privatised water era.

The Government-owned Scottish Water has regular pollution incidents.

The answer is an awful lot of expensive work and a rethink of how we use our drains.

Too much surface water floods the sewers and in times of heavy rainfall overwhelms them.

It is so easy to say don't release this "water" but where is it to be stored till treated?


It is one of the issues that arise with growing populations.

More people more waste.

This is what you voted for.
Propelled by the fiction about Brexit and resting on an "oven-ready" deal which Johnson did not even understand.
Moore's comments rest on the assumption that this cost MUST be borne by bill-payers. And that this cost could run to thousands per family.
I would like to see the latter allegation explained in detail because it sounds like nonsense.
As for the former- of course we should not under any circumstances threaten the comfort of the "entrepreneurs" who do so nicely out of their contracts with entirely captive customers. And who are in many cases foreign utilities here because they would not be allowed such profit and lax regulation in their home markets.
GET THIS MAN OUT.
And don't stop there...there are many more like him.