WINCHESTER'S Liberal Democrat election candidate says he is ‘furious’ and is calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in the River Itchen.

Danny Chambers is also calling for a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Mr Chambers said: “Like many local people, I am furious with Southern Water. It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into Winchester’s rivers and waterways. 

“It beggars belief that Conservative MPs have allowed water firms to get away with this. Local people are in disbelief that Conservative politicians blocked tougher action on these disgraced firms. Our chalk streams are sites of Special Scientific Interest because of their unique biodiversity - polluting these rivers is environmental vandalism. 

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Hampshire Chronicle:

"The Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers including replacing OfWat with a regulator that has real teeth to clamp down on these polluting firms. We have also called for a ban on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways."

John Penicud, the director for wastewater operations at Southern Water, said: “Slashing the number of storm releases is top priority for us - and our customers. Last November we announced our £1.5 billion storm overflow reduction plan which will combine innovative engineering with nature-based solutions. 

“The past 18 months have been the rainiest since records began. The ground is utterly waterlogged in many areas, inundating our own sewers and customers’ drains and sewers. 

“We’re extensively relining sewers, to keep sewage in and rainwater out, and our storm release reduction pilot schemes have already proved that nature-based systems can have a real impact.”