River Thames Tsar should be created to tackle sewage crisis

EMBARGO: 00:01 Friday 19th April 

• Liberal Democrat Leader calls for new government appointed role to hold Thames Water to account for sewage pollution 

• New role could pave the way for wider reforms of water industry with increased environmental accountability and new representation on water company boards

• Ed Davey will make the announcement during a local elections visit to the River Mole in Esher and Walton today

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new River Thames Tsar to be appointed by the government, in a bid to hold the country’s biggest water firm to account.

Leader Ed Davey visits the River Mole in Esher and Walton, a marginal Surrey constituency, to announce the policy. The Esher and Walton constituency was in the top 100 worst for sewage dumping last year and saw a staggering 135% increase in spills.

This policy is part of the party’s plan for water industry reform, including transforming water companies into “Public Benefit Companies”, by ensuring environmental experts sit on water utility boards. The reforms aim to put an end to water companies putting profit before the environment. The Liberal Democrats have also called for Ofwat to be abolished, so a new tougher water regulator can be created. 

The new River Thames Tsar proposed by the Liberal Democrats would have various roles, including:

• Attending Thames Water board meetings 

• Hosting public meetings with river users and environmental groups 

• Ensuring the Environment Agency follows up on reports of sewage pollution into the Thames and its tributaries 

The latest policy announcement follows the Government’s decision to appoint a River Wye Tsar last week, amid concerns of agricultural pollution. The Liberal Democrats are calling for the new River Thames Tsar to have a high public profile, with Feargal Sharkey and Steve Backshall suggested as possible candidates. 

Last year, the Liberal Democrats uncovered Thames Water discharged 72bn litres of sewage into the River Thames. One site in Twickenham suffered from 1 billion litres of sewage in just one day.

This summer has seen heightened concerns about the state of the River Thames, following a rower in the Oxford-Cambridge boat rate becoming sick from the event. 

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey announced the new policy, commenting: 

“The River Thames has become the scene of environmental vandalism, with laws being broken and yet another water company not being held properly to account. 

“Conservative Ministers have completely failed to get a grip of Thames Water’s pollution record and frankly the whole thing stinks. 

“We need someone with the power and focus to hold Thames Water properly to account. With a new Thames Tsar, the public will have new hope that someone will be acting for them, and for their environment. 

“It’s clear water company boards only really listen to their shareholders at the moment, but under these LiberalDemocrat plans, they’d be forced to answer to the public. We need to empower high profile campaigners, such as the likes of Feargal Sharkey or Steve Backshall, to make sure we get the urgent action everyone knows we need.

“The failure of this Conservative Government to act is literally making people sick. People want healthy rivers back and champion to force Thames Water to take the action needed.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Full analysis of Thames Tideway sewage discharges here, as revealed by the Liberal Democrats through an Environmental Information Request.

Details of sewage spills by parliamentary constituency can be found here.