Southern Water announce £1.5bn funding to chop sewage spills

Storm overflows, which seize rain and wastewater to cease flooding of properties and communities, would be the primary focus in enhancements pledged between 2025 and 2035.

The water firm, which serves elements of Sussex, Kent and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, was named as one of many 4 worst performing water corporations by regulator Ofwat final month.

Southern Water bosses revealed its Clean Rivers and Seas plan on November 16 as they confronted “tough choices” between environmental safety and minimising payments for patrons.

The announcement stated prospects will “notice the impact reflected in their bills”.

Southern Water’s chief government, Lawrence Gosden, stated: “I’ve heard our prospects’ considerations, and we take our affect on the atmosphere severely.

“We have a long-term technique to 2050 that can restore and defend our areas’ rivers and coastal habitats and a big a part of that can be to get to the foundation reason behind storm overflows.

“We cannot simply switch storm overflows off. But by implementing this clean rivers and seas plan and tackling the root cause, slowing the flow of rainwater going into the combined sewer, whilst increasing capacity of our network, we can reduce their use.”

As a part of Southern Water’s pledge to chop spills by 8,000 a 12 months by 2035, the water firm stated section one will make investments £700 million on areas akin to bathing waters and environmentally delicate websites.

It added that by 2035, it goals for 75% of “high priority” overflows to fulfill Government targets and for 100% of them to fulfill targets by 2050.

Its Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, made up of environmental scientists and business specialists, has additionally created options throughout the pure atmosphere akin to rain gardens and tree planting schemes.

Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage stated the plan was a “step in the right direction” with nature-based options akin to wetlands being applied.

But the marine conservation campaigners added that prospects seeing this mirrored of their payments was “outrageous”.

Surfers Against Sewage communications chief Josh Harris stated:  “Southern Water have overseen decades of mismanagement of our sewerage network, all the while paying the fat cats at the top huge pay and bonuses. Why should customers foot the bill?”

The charity added that by way of its water monitoring app, Safer Seas and Rivers Service, which receives sewage alerts from water corporations, Southern Water has issued 14,931 alerts this 12 months.

Mr Harris added: “They are top tier polluters and we won’t fall for their empty promises, or let them continue to profit off the destruction of our rivers and seas.”

Southern Water prospects are being requested for his or her suggestions on the plan earlier than it’s finalised with Ofwat.

Southern Water bosses additionally urged that “collaboration is key” for patrons and native authorities to assist with options akin to sustainable drainage techniques and water butts to empty rain water again into the atmosphere.

The water agency’s shareholders haven’t acquired dividends since 2017 and its chief government and chief monetary officer each declined bonuses for the 12 months till March 2023.