Sussex sewage monitors 'not installed or faulty' - Lib Dems

The party analysed Environment Agency data and say water companies are failing to monitor sewage discharges along the coastline including Sussex seaside resorts.

It comes as dozens of pollution warnings were put in place across beaches and swimming spots on the coast after heavy rain overwhelmed sewer systems, leading water companies to release sewage into the natural environment.

Sewage emptied into water at 13 Sussex beaches. August 16

The Liberal Democrats said water companies either have not installed Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) or they are using devices that are frequently faulty.

These devices measure the number and length of sewage dumps from storm overflows.

In total, the party found 24 per cent of sewage discharges went unmonitored last year while 1,802 monitors installed by water companies across the UK did not work for at least 90 per cent of the time.

In Sussex, Southern Water was found to have altogether failed to install one at the popular seaside spot of Littlehampton Pier while one in Seaford was working only a third of the time.

Martyn Craddock posted the video of the water in Seaford to social media.

The Liberal Democrats' environment spokesman Tim Farron MP said: “These water companies could be guilty of gross negligence by failing to install sewage monitors.

“This is a national scandal and these new figures stink of a cover-up. Britain’s seaside resorts are being swamped by foul sewage yet the government is nowhere to be found.

“Why on earth are Conservative ministers letting them get away with this?

“Sussex has been devastated in recent days by disgraceful sewage dumps because of Southern Water.

• READ MORE: Hove MP hits back at Sussex Tories after sewage sea dump

“The CEO of Southern Water should go to Seaford to check on this sewage monitor immediately.

“The public needs to know how safe, if at all, popular beaches are for swimming.”

In response to the issue, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs released a response earlier this week outlining the action it is taking.

Water minister Steve Double said: “We are the first government to take action to tackle sewage overflows.

“We have been clear that water companies’ reliance on overflows is unacceptable and they must significantly reduce how much sewage they discharge as a priority.

• READ MORE: Councils slam video of sewage being pumped into sea off Sussex

“This is on top of ambitious action we have already taken including consulting on targets to improve water quality which will act as a powerful tool to deliver cleaner water, pushing all water companies to go further and faster to fix overflows.

“Work on tackling sewage overflows continues at pace and we will publish our plan in line with the September 1 statutory deadline.”

A spokesman for Southern Water said: “Southern Water has led the industry in the role out of monitors for its CSO outfalls – we now have 99 per cent coverage and are on course for 100 per cent coverage by next March.

"We can confirm that monitoring is in place in Seaford, Littlehampton and Lee on Solent.

"Furthermore our Beachbuoy app shows in near real time 365 days a year any events on any outfall with the possibility of impacting any of the 84 bathing waters on our 700 miles of coastline."