Last week the government released data on the amount of sewage dumped into our waterways by water companies in 2023 and it turned out to be the worst year on record.
Sewage is being dumped in local becks, rivers and the sea at more than 50 sites right across West Cumbria. Into the Irish Sea at Workington, Parton, Whitehaven, St. Bees and Seascale. Into the rivers Ehen and Keekle in Cleator Moor, Cleator and Egremont. Ling Beck. Pow Beck. The River Derwent. The list goes on.
The levels are alarming. Thousands of hours of sewage polluting the water and causing untold harm to plant and wildlife.
The worst thing? The government are letting them get away with it.
Last year, Labour MPs tabled a Bill in Parliament to take tough action against water companies and force them to clean up their act. Tory MPs – including ours here in Cumbria – refused to back it.
The result – the highest levels of sewage dumped into our water since records began.
I know there is no easy fix, but who is in power matters. Labour will introduce tough new legislation to clean up our water, tighten up monitoring, allow criminal charges to be brought against water company bosses who fail to act and ban their bonuses until they sort out the mess they’ve made.
If I’m elected as your Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington I’ll proudly vote for this legislation.
Until then, join me in putting pressure on the current government by signing my petition: joshforwestcumbria.co.uk/stop-the-sewage
Josh MacAlister
Standing to be Labour’s MP for Whitehaven and Workington
Josh MacAlister MP 