Sewage

These discharges are only meant to happen during exceptionally heavy rainfall to prevent sewage backing up into people’s homes but as we have seen they are becoming more and more common as our combined sewerage system becomes overwhelmed.

Combined sewage systems have to cope with both foul sewage and some surface water run off. New housing developments should be designed so that the surface water drains into a separate system but the sewerage infrastructure owned and maintained by private water companies has not kept pace with the demands being made on it. The problem has been made worse by the number of front gardens that have been concreted over – “urban creep.”

Nationally, the Green Party has called on Oftwat to take action against water companies to prevent clean water leaks and river and sea discharges.

Locally, Green Councillor Lesley Whybrow raised the issue at Folkestone & Hythe District Council with a motion designed to ensure the effect of multiple developments is assessed. Planning consultation documents show that it has not been the practice of council planners to ask water companies to report on cumulative impact i.e. whether or not development may lead to any potential increase in ‘emergency’ discharge into rivers and seas. However, the council
does not have the power to insist that Southern Water complies with this.

Instead of massive payments to shareholders, we need more investment in the water networks. We believe that the only way investment can be made is through nationalisation as soon as practical.