FOUR members of CARP (Communities Against River Pollution) attended a mass lobby in Parliament organised by The Sewage Campaign Network.
More than 100 MPs went along to a powerful briefing, asking them to vote against the Water Bill which, campaigners argue, denies the critical factor the water industry is in private ownership. This has put profiteering at the forefront of the nation’s water and neglected both the environment and public health.
The Sewage Campaign Network’s high profile president Feargal Sharkey provided detailed knowledge of Britain’s water industry.
Later on in the day, MP, Clive Lewis chaired an intense and emotional discussion with the real life stars of Channel 4’s docudrama ‘Dirty Business’.
Ash Smith and Peter Hammond from Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, Julie Maughan, mother of Heather Preen who died from Ecoli, two of the whistle blowers from Thames Water and the Environment Agency and the producers and Channel 4 scriptwriters were also at the event.
This discussion highlighted the dire human and environmental costs of years of neglect by water companies and ended with a direct challenge to The Minister for Water, Emma Hardy – also on the room – to intervene and get the Government to acknowledge this and change direction.
CARP also met with Wyre Forest MP, Mark Garnier, who outlined his objections to the Water White Paper.
The group left Parliament feeling it was making a difference.
Dee Edwards, Chair of CARP, said: “In order to move away from the normalisation of sewage being dumped into into our rivers and seas, we urge everyone to keep the pressure on.
“Please lobby your MP by writing to him expressing your concerns.
“We all have a part to play in cleaning up our rivers.
“If you haven’t watched Channel 4’s Dirty Business, please do.
“It’s groundbreaking and will tell you all you need to know about the great British sewage scandal.”
Anyone who wants to write to Mark Garnier can email: [email protected] to contact him.
CARP is a group of local residents which is raising awareness about the state of the River Severn.
Over the past four weeks, the group has been testing the water in the River Severn and has been campaigning to hold Severn Trent Water to account for sewage dumping.
