Ben Maguire Meets Water Minister Over Sewage Pollution

The Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, Ben Maguire, has met with Water Minister Emma Hardy MP to raise urgent concerns over repeated sewage pollution incidents and what he described as wider failures by South West Water and the Environment Agency.

The meeting was requested during Prime Minister’s Questions by Ben, following ongoing sewage discharges across North Cornwall’s coastline and growing anger about the impact on communities, businesses and the environment.

Concerns Raised in Meeting

During the talks, Ben criticised the current regulatory system, arguing that the Environment Agency is “not fit for purpose” and requires significant reform to better serve areas like North Cornwall.

He also highlighted specific incidents, including recent sewage discharges at Widemouth Bay, alongside what were described as many other examples. The discussions included calls for faster infrastructure upgrades and stronger enforcement action against water companies.

South West Water has recently been found to have dumped sewage during dry periods, which may be a breach of its permits.

Ongoing Campaign

Ben has been campaigning on the issue since his election. His efforts have included leading beach protests, speaking in Parliament, challenging water company bosses and repeatedly raising concerns about sewage incidents with authorities.

Direct Statement From Ben

Commenting after the meeting, Ben Maguire MP said:

“I made it clear during my meeting with the Water Minister that the current system is just not working. The Environment Agency is not fit for purpose, and needs fundamental and urgent reform so it can properly protect communities like mine here in North Cornwall.

“For far too long, South West Water has been allowed to completely get away with failure after failure, putting the health of my constituents severely at risk yet facing next to no consequences as a result. I do however want to be clear that these problems are not the failures of SWW’s dedicated and hardworking staff, but come from mismanagement and negligence right at the top level of management. Upgrade works in 2030 is far too late, while my constituents get ill almost daily just by swimming in our seas.

“The recent docudrama Dirty Business brought into sharp focus the very human cost of this scandal. I’ll be continuing to push both Ministers and the regulators for the urgent action needed to clean up our rivers and seas, and properly hold those responsible to account.”

📷Ben Maguire MP and Emma Hardy MP