Pollard: Time for water to get political

The politicisation of water policy should stretch beyond debates of renationalisation, shadow environment minister, Luke Pollard, has told Utility Week.

Speaking after the passing of the Environment Act for which Pollard called out the lack of timeframe for action, he said water and sewage would remain an issue for voters up to the next election that Labour will campaign on.

“I want Labour to be setting out an ambition to have clean rivers, lower water use and setting out a deliverable plan members of the public and industry can get behind, that recognises we are in a climate and ecological crisis,” Pollard said. “What we had before and the pace of improvements are insufficient to deal with the scale of the crisis we are facing.”

As the opposition, Pollard said Labour would be demanding more from water companies to clean rivers with a clear direction of travel and timetable for action that companies would be scrutinised against.

Fleur Anderson’s plastics (wet wipes) bill is scheduled to have its second reading in Parliament on 26 November. Pollard cited it as an example of substantial environmental benefit as well as economic benefits to water billpayers to reduce the costs of clearing blockages.

Pollard also said water sector needs to “put its head above the parapet” to make the case for the investments required to reduce sewage discharges and avoid being blamed for a lack of action: “Water companies need to be louder in making the case, otherwise they will be the recipients of public anger because of bad decisions by ministers.

“It’s time for the sector to step up and have its voice heard that it wants to do more but needs the government to act. But that’s not what I’m hearing at the moment.”

“When bills land on consumers’ doorsteps people will be angry to pay money when sewage is still in rivers,” he added. “It’s a problem that must be fixed so let’s get companies to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”