At Dorset Full Council on 13 July 2023, Green Councillors Kelvin Clayton (Bridport) and Belinda Bawden (Lyme & Charmouth) proposed a motion committing Dorset Council to working with the Government and water companies to prevent sewage discharges into our rivers and beaches. This motion was passed almost unanimously.
Thousands of hours of sewage discharges have impacted rivers in Dorset because of Environment Agency permits allowing the release of untreated sewage after very heavy rainfall.
Councillor Belinda Bawden, representing Lyme Regis and Charmouth, told councillors: “the hope is that we can work positively with Wessex Water, South West Water and the community groups to ensure that Dorset Council can fulfil our residents, businesses and visitors’ desire to restore our river and beaches to full ecological health”.
Green Group Leader Clare Sutton says: “This situation is a total disgrace. Weymouth’s economy relies on visitors being confident of the quality of our sea water, and within our ward it’s also very important to those who swim at Smallmouth, Sandsfoot, Castle Cove and Newton’s Cove.
“Given the vast profits Wessex Water and others have made since privatisation, Government must ensure that it’s the shareholder not the customer who pays.
“There’s a limit to what Dorset Council can do, but if every council in the country puts the pressure on I hope it will make a difference.”
The motion also committed the Council to encourage the use of permeable surfaces in new developments in the county.
Cllr Kelvin Clayton, representing Bridport, said: “Whilst I fully accept that there are limitations as to what Dorset Council can do on its own, it’s important that it accepts that this issue is a great cause of concern for many Dorset residents and becomes proactive in bringing about solutions. I am very pleased that the motion received cross-party support.”
The motion as passed reads:
“The heavy rain parts of Dorset experienced last month once again resulted in sewage being discharged into the sea – this time at West Bay, Lyme Regis, and seven locations across Weymouth and Portland. As a result people were advised not to bathe on certain polluted beaches.
The main reason this occurs is our antiquated sewage system – a single system that has to deliver both foul water and surface water to the treatment plants, a system that is unable to cope with sudden large amounts of surface water.
Whilst the investment and determination to upgrade this system is largely outside the remit of this Council, there are three things it can do. This Council, therefore, resolves to:
1. Engage positively with central government in implementing Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Act 2010 (and any subsequent changes in national planning guidance) to ensure sustainable drainage systems are designed, constructed and adopted to national standards for the lifetime of the development, securing the separation of foul water from surface water.
2. Through both its new local development plan and any associated guidance, promotes the use of permeable surface treatments where this is achievable.
3. engages with Wessex Water and South West Water to focus their investment plans on reducing sewage discharges by the substantial amount needed.”