Today, Metro readers discuss UK water companies allowing untreated sewage to be dumped into British waters and whether there will be consequences for their negligence.
While we know individuals can be fined £100 for littering, the appropriate response to the environmental harm caused by millions of pounds of excrement remains uncertain.
The reaction of Environment Secretary Therese Coffey raises doubts about the Tories’ sincerity in holding water companies to account, given that she previously voted to permit such actions.
Tory MP Damian Green’s remark that swimming in sewage used to be acceptable in the past further raises questions about the Conservatives’ genuine outrage in allowing water companies to engage in this behaviour.
The impact of these incidents on the Conservative Party’s prospects in the next general election remains to be seen.
Shifting focus to general elections, some readers suggest that Keir Starmer should reconsider his green-belt building plan. However, others argue that the plan could be positive, as it aims to create more affordable housing.
What do you think?
Let us know your thoughts in comments.
■ For many years (since privatisation), water companies have been creaming off vast profits while leaving rivers, beaches and the drains in disarray.
Instead of putting the infrastructure in place, they have ignored the disgusting emissions of waste into our waterways.
They have also (because of inadequate drainage) allowed town centres to practically flood every time we have a downpour.
Yes, we know that anyone with a pension will have part of their funds wrapped up in some of these companies but it cannot be right to continuously increase water bills, pay handsome dividends to the boardroom while turning the country into a sewer.
Martin Lawrence, South Croydon
■ It’s very good to see the anger directed at water companies for their dirty treatment of our rivers. I can only hope similar outrage is soon to come the way of livestock and chicken farmers. The amount of slurry – animal sewage – and fertilisers they allow to wash into our waterways to devastating and catastrophic effect, killing fish and everything else, is a national scandal.
Jack, Herefordshire
■ The sewage being dumped in the rivers and sea only happens because this Tory government passed a law allowing the water companies to do so, thus paving the way for extra dividends to shareholders.
P Newbold, Waterlooville
■ You can get a £100 fine for dropping a crisp packet, something that doesn’t pollute and can be quickly picked up but if you pour millions of tons of poo into rivers and into oceans? Nothing.
Richard Farrar, London
■ Here’s a test for Metro readers. You are standing on a quayside admiring the smelly brown water so redolent of the British seaside when you spot the boss of a water company fall into the sort of filth that was graphically illustrated on the front page of Friday’s Metro.
Do you dive in to the sewage-ridden water to rescue the struggling plutocrat or collapse helplessly, laughing like a drain?
If you answered the former you are a saint who will pay 20 per cent extra on your water bill without a murmur of a complaint. The latter, and you are a heartless human being and will go far!
Stephen Spark, Balham
■ The bosses of the water companies who have been dumping sewage for years, should be sued for fraud at the very least.
It is disgusting and unacceptable that successive governments have allowed these companies to get away with it for so long. These bosses receive huge bonuses, plus ridiculously high salaries for not doing their jobs properly.
It is time for the government to step in and take them to court on behalf of all us bill payers to retrieve as much as possible of the £10billion they now say it will cost.
If they haven’t still got the money in their bank accounts, it is time to seize their assets.
Angie, Redhill
■ I can’t help but feel like environment secretary Thérèse Coffey’s protestations at being ‘pretty fed up’ with the water companies ring a little hollow.
After all, Coffey was one of many MPs who voted in favour of letting these companies freely dump sewage into our waters, and for months has been trying to shift the blame, or even downplay how bad the situation has become.
With the Conservatives getting hammered in the recent local elections, this feels like a case of Coffey trying to save face as the prospect of losing her position in government looms, so now she needs to find some way to appease those she has been fobbing off.
Matthew, Bimingham
■ Whether it ‘affects the beauty of the countryside,’ or not, Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to build homes on Green Belt land will cost Labour votes.
Far better to build on abandoned airfields and smaller airports. Closing small airports would reduce air pollution and noise pollution, benefiting the environment and local residents.
Labour could then gain votes from the Greens and Middle England Conservatives.
Construction costs would be reduced as the infrastructure is already in place and the flat nature of airports/fields would save on massive earth-moving costs.
Ken Tracey, Kent
■ Adrian (MetroTalk, Fri) opposes Sir Keir’s plans. I don’t think Adrian recognises what land comprises the Green Belt. It is not all picturesque parks, playing fields and recreation grounds. Here, we have a car wash, used-car tyre sales area and a smelly rubbish recycling centre all on the Green Belt.
This, together with sensible use of brownfield sites, could address the shortage of much-needed local homes, should Labour win the next election.
Cllr Robert Evans, Surrey Council
Overgeneralising dementia
■ John Suchet, who lost his wife to the disease (Metro, Fri), is incorrect to say that you ‘cannot talk to a loved one with dementia’. My mum has had dementia for over a year and I talk with her every day. People must not over-generalise about dementia. As the saying goes, ‘When you’ve met one person with dementia, you’ve met one person with dementia.’
Toby Williamson, London
You can tell a lot about a person by who they support
■ You referenced prime minister Rishi Sunak being a Southampton supporter (Metro, Fri). In the past 12 months, Southampton have sacked one leader, had a much-derided second one leave after a brief but disastrous spell and are now onto their third, who has yet to revive their fortunes. I can see the attraction for Mr Sunak but are the Tory Party also heading for relegation?
Tim Whelan, Urmston
I was healthy and positive… Until I wasn’t
■ I can agree with Jack (MetroTalk, Mon) and his railing against negativity with the maxim of ‘healthy mind, healthy body, healthy life’ but there are exceptions. Until 2021, I was healthy, very fit, not overweight, with perfect BMI. I’m 58 now but
I hurt my back and over the course of 2021, was diagnosed with osteoporosis, spinal fractures, COPD and a heart condition. No warning! And this following Covid lockdown. I’ve pretty much run out of positivity, Jack.
John, South Staffordshire
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MORE : Surfers protest against ‘greedy’ water companies dumping sewage into sea
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