Southern Water and Chichester MP take part in discussion about tackling sewage discharges

The public were invited to join a webinar on September 22 hosted by Gillian Keegan MP on the subject of sewage.

Those taking part were representatives of Southern Water, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Ofwat, and RSPB.

Mrs Keegan invited panellists, who answered questions from the chair and members of the public, via a question and answer function. A representative of Southern Water – responsible for dealing with wastewater the area – was among those who took part.

During the meeting, it was raised that the constant levels of sewage in the waters – the most polluted across the whole of Europe – are causing a growing number of illnesses in both humans and animals.

Results from The Chichester Harbour showed that the bacteria health over the area is better than most people realise, however Natural England’s recent review of the Harbour reported 40 years of decline.

It was also reported that nitrates and micro plastics have already been found in abundance and results are due soon from The Clean Harbours Partnership (CHP), the largest ever local citizen science initiative, which is researching the presence of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in both Langstone and Chichester Harbours.

The last organisation to be represented was the RSPB who said that there has been a 25 per cent decline in our overwintering birds and it is imperative that measures be put in place to halt the decline in our bird breeding.

Libby Alexander, who attended the meeting on behalf of Save Our South Coast Association (SOSCA), said:

"So what was the constriction upon these agencies from actually saying, in the presence of a member of Parliament, that the government needed to review the situation across our Chichester Coastal Plain – Gillian Keegan’s constituency – in order to save it from being destroyed permanently.

"That this entire region, despite it being covered with International and Nationally declared statutory protections, is being abused by the very government she represents.

“The Environment Agency (EA) set the standards for the water industry but Southern Water self-monitors as they provide the EA with the data.

“Which is why, at Planning Applications, when the EA is asked if there is capacity at the relevant Wastewater Treatment Works, the answer is always yes.

“So why, when there is much evidence to the contrary, such as the increasing use of tankers to shift raw sewage across our narrow country roads, does the EA not investigate?

“It is becoming universally accepted that the health of our natural surroundings are crucial to the wellbeing of not only humans but of the planet.

"This was acknowledged by the representative of Natural England. They have made headway in the push for developments to be more nature aware and for the encouragement of the environment as a whole as it is much undervalued.”

Representatives for Mrs Keegan have been asked for comment.