Barrow and Furness MP writes to United Utilities CEO to demand further action to tackle sewage pollution

Simon Fell MP has today written to United Utilities to demand accelerated action to tackle sewage pollution in Barrow and Furness.

This comes as United Utilities have confirmed £3 billion of improvements at 437 sites across the North West.

However, Simon Fell MP has written to the CEO of United Utilities to push for more investment to be delivered faster, to ensure that pollution is reduced and all storm overflows comply with their spill targets as soon as possible.

Simon Fell MP commented, ‘I welcome the £19 billion investment as part of the Storm Overflow Reduction Plan, which will meet the new requirements of the Environment Act 2021. But I have been clear that United Utilities must go further and faster to tackle the completely unacceptable pollution in Barrow and Furness.

They have a responsibility to deliver for bill payers and today’s announcement is a demonstration of the lack of leadership at the helm of United Utilities on this issue.

That is why I have today written to Louise Beardmore the CEO of United Utilities to express my concerns around the speed of investment being delivered and to request tougher action.’

Today’s intervention comes after the Government has recently announced a tough new inspections and enforcement regime. We have already increased our oversight of water companies and the EA have carried out over 930 inspections to date in this financial year.

But the Government is going further and the number of inspections, including unannounced inspections where officers have powers to gain forcible entry where needed and appropriate, will rise to 4,000 by the end of March 2025 – a fourfold increase. From April 2026, the number of inspections will rise further to 10,000 per year.

This is in addition to a ban on bonuses for executives of water companies found to have committed a serious breach of the criminal law.