Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey has unveiled a new Plan for Water- that could lead to unlimited fines for polluting water companies- just days after the EADT revealed there had been 150 sewage releases across Suffolk.
Up to £1.1billion of funding could be spent by water companies in England to prevent 10,000 storm overflows a year as part of the strategy, which aims to tackle the problem of excess rain and waste water being released into waterways and the sea to stop sewers being overwhelmed.
READ MORE: Suffolk: Fears for Southwold's Blue Flag status over sewage
Data obtained from the Anglian Water website has revealed the extent of the sewage problem in Suffolk, which included a storm tank on The Common releasing foul waste into the River Blyth on 13 occasions for more than 26 hours in 2022.
In total, in Southwold- a town famed for its quality of life and Blue Flag beaches- there were five sewer releases in 2022, including in Marlborough Road on 61 occasions and for more than 15 hours.
READ MORE: Southwold news
However, East Suffolk councillor David Beavan, who represents Southwold, dismissed the plan as 'a load of waffle'.
Cllr Beavan has previously told the EADT of his concern about the impact of the sewage on the beach at the town's pier, which had only had its Blue Flag status restored last year after losing it in 2018 due to a high E.coli reading.
Blue Flags are awarded by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and recognise well managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes.
READ MORE: Suffolk news
Cllr Beavan said: "It seems a lot of waffle to me that is not going to stop the pollution. Fines will only be added to our bills.
"If a farmer has too much slurry, he would not pour it into a river, he would put it in a bag until he can dispose of it properly. Why can't Anglian Water do the same?"
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Plan for Water outlines an extra £2.2million to boost the budget for the Environment Agency's enforcement, while consultations are currently taking place on the penalty cap, with the preference to remove the cap altogether, allowing unlimited fines.
Improvements to water companies' infrastructure will also be accelerated with £1.6bn of investment.
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