THE LIB Dem candidate for Winchester has called for rivers across the county to gain protected status.
Danny Chambers made the comments after figures revealed that sewage had been dumped 35 times in Winchester and the Meon Valley in 2023.
Analysis of data from the Environment Agency by the party shows that Southern Water discharged sewage into Winchester’s waterways for a total of 189 hours last year.
In an effort to tackle sewage dumping, the Liberal Democrats have announced an expansion of marine protected areas and a new Blue Flag status for rivers will be included in the party’s general election manifesto.
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Mr Chambers said: “Winchester’s precious Itchen and Meon rivers have been destroyed after years of a Conservative government letting water firms get away with environmental vandalism.
“It is time we got tough on polluting and profiteering water firms, yet Conservative MPs have stood by whilst swimmers have become ill and wildlife killed by sewage discharges.
“This scandal has to end now. The Conservative party has failed to protect swimmers and wildlife.
“The Liberal Democrats will have the boldest manifesto on cleaning up our rivers and coastlines. Families should be free to swim safely in the knowledge that our waters are not polluted with sewage.”
Other election candidates in Winchester have voiced concerns over sewage dumping in rivers.
Labour candidate Hannah Dawson said: “It is utterly unacceptable that Winchester's waterways have become an open sewer under 14 years of Tory Government.
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“Labour has a plan to clean up our waters - putting water companies under special measures to clean up their toxic mess. This includes giving the water regulator powers to block the payment of bonuses until bosses clean up their filth, and ensuring water bosses who oversee repeated illegal sewage discharge face criminal charges.”
Green Party candidate Lorraine Estelle said: “Our waterways are a vital habitat for wildlife and an important source of green space for residents - but sewage dumps will continue for decades to come under current government plans.
“To protect our rivers and seas, we want water companies to be made accountable for what they are doing to end sewage discharges and clean up our waterways.
“The only sustainable way to run vital services like water is to put people ahead of profit - that's why we would put water back into public hands.”
Conservative hopeful Flick Drummond, speaking at her campaign launch in Winchester on Tuesday, she said: “Our chalk streams are already protected – we put our chalk stream restoration policy forward. They are in good health, but they could be better.
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“We are now monitoring them 100 per cent, so we know exactly where any sewage is going in – that was not happening in 2010.
“Blue Flags – fair enough. If you want to put Blue Flags on things, people normally put them on beaches and many of our beaches are Blue Flag status but our chalk streams are in good health, and even otters are appearing in them. And when you have otters appearing in chalk streams then you know the ecology and the ecosystem is working.”
The General Election will take place on July 4.
The other confirmed candidates are Andrew Davis (Social Democratic Party) and Kevin D'Cruze (Independent).
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