On Thursday 16th February, Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, visited Wessex Water’s sewage pumping station and treatment centre which serve her constituency. Mrs Hobhouse toured the sites to see how the operation works and to understand more about the problems water companies face in preventing discharges. 

Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, commented:

“It was fascinating to get insights into how our sewage is dealt with and why there are currently so many issues relating to overflows and discharges. I know this is a topic that many of my constituents follow closely so going to the heart of the matter and getting a better understanding of the problem is very important to me.

“Protecting river health so that our natural ecosystems can flourish needs to be at the centre of any solutions put forward. At the different facilities I learnt about the inadequacies of our sewage infrastructure in dealing with the vast amounts of rain water and sewage that move through the systems every day. There has to be a focus on separating our rain water and sewage at source if we are going to generate a truly long-term fix to this ongoing mess. 

“The Government has failed in this regard so far. Not only have they ignored infrastructure issues, they have also made it harder to measure water health by removing vital indicators. This has to change so we can reassure the public that their rivers are safe.

“I witnessed first hand the vast scale of operation needed to deal with our sewage. We need a sensible, constructive dialogue with all parties if we are going to overcome the problems my constituents are rightly so concerned about. My visit to the Wessex Water treatment plant was part of this. I will continue to engage with all sides and push for solutions that can provide my constituents with the healthy environment they deserve.”