“Our water system is in urgent need of reform…” writes Shaun Davies MP
Shaun Davies MP, alongside other West Midlands MPs, has written to Severn Trent Water (STW) to criticise the company for prioritising dividends and bonuses over crucial investments in infrastructure that would benefit both customers and the environment. This letter follows the alarming issues highlighted in this week’s Panorama program.
Panorama – The Water Company’s Murky Business saw Reporter Joe Crowley investigate how “Severn Trent hits environmental targets while dumping large quantities of sewage and asks whether there is more to the company’s finances than meets the eye.”
In July, Secretary of State Steve Reed made it clear that under this government, water companies must be held accountable for their performance in serving customers and protecting the environment.
Shaun Davies MP said: “Our water system is in urgent need of reform, and the government has announced the largest independent review of the water industry since its privatisation.
“This review will tackle sewage dumping and pollution, while also focusing on improving infrastructure, resilience, and driving economic growth. It is crucial that we regulate the water industry effectively to ensure it provides value for billpayers and safeguards our natural environment.”
A Severn Trent spokesperson said “The allegations made by Panorama are completely inaccurate, misleading, and misrepresentative of how we operate as a UK listed and highly regulated business. As we have repeatedly informed Panorama we welcome scrutiny and debate, but this must be based on facts and evidence rather than unsubstantiated opinion and false claims.
“Severn Trent operates under the full scrutiny of its regulators and the extremely high financial standards demanded of every FTSE listed company, ensuring we run our business in a transparent and financially responsible way. We are consistently held up as sector leaders, being repeatedly recognised at the highest level for our environmental performance over the last five years, rightfully determined under an increasingly tough framework by the Environment Agency.
“Severn Trent will continue to invest record amounts into the infrastructure that serves our customers. We are progressing faster than any other water company to reduce the number of spills from storm overflows well ahead of regulatory targets. We know that this is the number one issue for our customers and we won’t stop our work until we’re operating at global best practice.”
Pic: Clunbury Road floods – Telford Live
