At a recent meeting in Bexhill, local MPs Sally-Ann Hart and Huw Merriman, pressed the Chief Executive of Southern Water and the Area Director for the Environment Agency to take further action to clean up local bathing waters, provide accurate information on sewage releases and for real-time data on water quality to be made available to the public. 

The MPs also asked for an update on Southern Water’s ‘Pathfinder’ plans to accelerate a reduction in the use of storm overflows across the South East. The Pathfinder projects are a key part of the company’s investment to remove surface water from the mains sewers to prevent overloading the system, reduce Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) releases and to achieve the targets set out in the Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. An early Pathfinder trial project on the Isle of Wight successfully reduced CSO releases by over 70%. The MPs asked for similar Pathfinder projects to be expedited in their constituencies.

Huw Merriman, MP for the Bexhill and Battle Constituency, has also been pressing both Southern Water and the Environment Agency to carry out more widespread water quality testing and research to establish the causes of pollution which led to Bexhill bathing waters being graded only ‘sufficient’ compared to neighbouring beaches in Hastings and St Leonards.  Southern Water has carried out regular water testing at several beach locations and inland streams in Bexhill to monitor water quality and identify pollutants since last summer and they shared the results with the MP.  They also talked about their ongoing work to identify sources of inland waterways pollution. In Bexhill, they found several residential and commercial properties which had been illegally connected to surface water drains rather than the mains sewerage system causing unintentional water pollution. Work has begun with the property owners to connect their sewage waste to the right system.

Sally-Ann Hart, MP for the Hastings and Rye Constituency, asked Southern Water to provide an update on their work to improve sewerage system resilience and their collaborative work with the local flood authority to help prevent further flooding of Hastings town centre which has been devastating for residents and businesses.

Southern Water provided an update on their £1.5bn Clean Rivers and Seas Plan for 2025-2035. The first phase of this plan will be delivered between 2025 and 2030 and will see an investment of £700 million to focus on areas such as shellfish and bathing waters, and environmentally sensitive sites. Southern Water confirmed that Hasting and Bexhill will be part of the first phase.

Huw Merriman MP said:

“I am pleased to see that Bexhill will be in Southern Water’s first phase of their investment plans to tackle CSO releases and improve bathing water quality, it is right that our area should be prioritised. Clean seas and safe bathing water are essential for our marine life, residents, visitors, and businesses. It was good to see real progress being made with their ongoing investigations into water quality and water testing which is something I asked for. This will provide far more detailed and accurate information as to the cleanliness of the sea and local watercourses.  With this data, work can be better targeted at dealing with sources of pollution.”

“I was also encouraged that the Environment Agency and Southern Water are exploring a project to install digital bathing water quality signage on Bexhill beach. This means residents and visitors would be able to see real-time data of water quality and be confident that the sea is safe when visiting the beach.” 

Sally-Ann Hart MP said:

“Huw and I meet regularly with Southern Water and our latest meeting with Lawrence Gosden and members of his team, as well as representatives from the Environment Agency, was to discuss the steps that are being taken to improve our local water quality and reduce CSO releases, as well as Southern Water’s ambitious 5-year business plan. Southern Water have announced major investment between 2025 and 2030 and it is important that they are held to account in the delivery of this.”