My ongoing fight to rid our nation’s rivers, coasts and waterways from sewage pollution has seen a number of ups and downs over the years. 

The delight at the initial success of my Private Members Bill was tempered by the Bill running out of time due to covid; the fact much of it was picked up by the government through the Environment Act 2021 was marred by naked opportunism of those (especially the Liberal Democrats) seeking to make it a party political issue, where before it had had cross-party support. 

And so it is that the significant lowlight of sewage pollution figures published before Easter, which saw a huge rise against the prior year in both the number and duration of sewage spills into our waterways, is met with more positive news this week – £11m of fines the water companies must pay for these spills is being put directly back into improving the water environment through a ringfenced Water Restoration Fund, which the Rivers Trust and I had campaigned for, and secured from the Chancellor.

In the past, court-imposed fines for water companies would go straight back into Treasury coffers. But I made the case for a specific ringfenced fund. 

This progress is part of the government’s Plan for Water, and builds on measures requiring water companies to monitor 100% of storm overflows in England, removing the cap on civil penalties for water companies, banning water boss bonuses where environmental standards are not met, and requiring the largest infrastructure investment in water company history with a £60bn programme over next 25 years.

Like so many others, I was appalled to read last year’s sewage spill statistics, which showed recorded sewage spills increased by more than half in 2023, compared to the previous year. But while clearly disappointing, a lot of coverage missed crucial context – namely, last year’s record rainfall following a record dry year.

So in the rollercoaster ride of highs and lows that is the fight against sewage pollution, I remain an optimist. We are seeing real progress, and more importantly, proactive investment from water companies (now permitted, of course, by regular Ofwat), including £7.5m by Severn Trent Water to reduce discharges in the River Teme. 

But I end with a word of caution. Beware the snake-oil merchants who tell there is a quick fix. It will take many years and a lot of investment to fix this problem, but it is achievable. As I am stepping down at the next election, it would be deeply disheartening to see progress stymied by short-term political point scoring, instead of the cross-party unity this issue enjoyed even two years ago.