East Wight MP Joe Robertson has joined local residents in a bid to stop Southern Water releasing additional combined sewage water on a Bembridge beach.
Over 100 residents met on the beach earlier this week (Monday) to demonstrate their frustration, at an event organised by local resident Andrew Holman. They were joined by Sally Grylls and Joe Robertson, who later raised his concerns with the Minister in the House of Commons and asked for “assistance” from Government.
Southern Water has submitted plans to reopen a disused combined sewage overflow pipe (CSO), part of which is currently visible on Bembridge beach. Local residents say they cannot remember it discharging “in decades” and Southern Water have so-far been unable to confirm when it was last operational. The Environment Agency have given the go-ahead to the proposal as they say the work relates to existing infrastructure. Joe Robertson has taken aim at both Southern Water and the Environment Agency, calling it “completely unacceptable.”
In a letter to the Government Minister the MP said:
“For anyone living in the real world, this is not a case of reestablishing existing infrastructure but opening up a new location to dump sewage in the worst possible place for public health.” Bembridge already has an operational CSO which discharges at sea beyond the lifeboat station.
“The demonstration on the beach was organised by local resident Andrew Holman who has said on social media, “the deposits will only wash into Bembridge harbour on the incoming tide, or over the Seagrass Meadows on an outgoing tide.”
Joe Robertson attended and talked to concerned residents who had gathered where Southern Water want to discharge close to Bembridge Harbour mouth and less than a mile from popular Priory Bay.
A few hours later, he stood up in the House of Commons to ask what assistance the Government could provide to stop Southern Water’s plans. The Minister had already said in answer to a previous question that water companies should be reducing CSO locations.
Mr Robertson asked:
“Southern Water is preparing to dump sewage on a beach in Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight, in a new location. The Environment Agency says that that is okay because there is an old combined sewer overflow pipe there, notwithstanding the fact that it has not been used in decades. Does the Minister agree that that is unacceptable? If she does, what assistance can she and her Government provide to stop this from happening?”
Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding responded:
“The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. I would be happy to look into it and get back to him. If he wants to have a meeting with me to discuss it further, we can make that arrangement.”
