The Government's announcement that water regulator OFWAT is to be abolished is a significant success for the Liberal Democrats, who have campaigned for years for a regulator with teeth. But it will still be a long time before a new regulator is in place, and the water industry needs a complete overhaul, not just a new regulator. That's why we still need your help to make sure that water companies pay for the work to stop sewage dumping, not continued dividends for shareholders.
In 2024, sewage was dumped into Greater Manchester’s rivers last year for over 92,000 hours – including 4,767 hours across Stockport. The Goyt, Mersey, Tame, and Poise Brook and Etherow are being choked with pollution as water bills soar to eye-watering levels.
The Government is letting them get away with it and are leaving taxpayers to pay to fix the problem. With the latest legislation passed by Government, they even allowed water companies to pollute our waters unchecked until 2035.
Lib Dem run Stockport Council was the first council in the country to launch an official Sewage Inquiry.
Water companies need to clean up their own mess and stop dumping sewage in our rivers and lakes.
It's time for a 16% sewage tax on their £2.2 billion annual profits to improve our sewage system and protect our rivers and lakes.
Show your support for the campaign by signing our petition today…
I/we the undersigned call upon the Government to stop water companies from dumping sewage into our lakes, rivers and seas, by taxing the £2.2bn annual profits of water companies to improve our sewage system.
The Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to end this scandal – and we’re taking action. In Parliament, Lisa Smart MP and the Lib Dems are fighting to scrap the failing regulator Ofwat, hold water companies to account, and introduce a new ‘Blue Flag’ status to guarantee clean, safe rivers for everyone to enjoy.
Our priorities:
🚫 End the Sewage Scandal – for good: No more excuses. Stop water companies dumping filth into our rivers.
🔁 Replace the failed regulator Ofwat: Bring in a watchdog with teeth – one that can actually enforce the rules.
💸 Hold profit-soaked water bosses to account: No bonuses for polluters. Make them clean up their mess.
🏅 Introduce Blue Flag status for rivers: Gold-standard clean water: safe for swimming, safe for wildlife and safe for us.
🌿 Protect our wildlife, our children and our countryside: Let’s leave a cleaner, safer environment for the next generation.
Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart has written to the chief executive of United Utilities, Louise Beardmore, asking for information showing that the company has made progress on cutting sewage dumping in the constituency.
New MPs Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison have written to United Utilities chief executive Louise Beardmore requesting a face to face meeting to challenge the water company on the levels of sewage dumping in local rivers and waterways.
Campaign kicks off in earnest after snap election announcement
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey was in Romiley this week to see first-hand the levels of sewage dumping into the River Goyt, which have increased dramatically in the last year, from already crisis levels.
A sickness compensation scheme which would have allowed anyone who gets sick as a result of illegal sewage dumping to claim compensation from water companies has been turned down by the Tory Government.
Parliamentary Candidate Lisa Smart was “shocked” that there was no mention of sewage crisis in the King’s Speech