THE number of incidents of sewage ‘vandalism’ in Colchester increased by a shocking 199% in the last year according to new data released this week.

Figures from the House of Commons library, based on official reports from the Environment Agency, revealed the number of cases of ‘counted’ spills into local rivers and lakes shot up to 203 in 2023 – up from 79 the previous year. In all it amounted to a total duration of 531 hours, compared to 178 in 2022.

Last year, sewage was dumped into England’s rivers over 460,000 times for a total of over 3.6 million hours.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for strict measures including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator, a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways and the declaration of a national environmental emergency.

Martin said: “It is disgusting that there has been such a sharp rise in Anglian Water pumping their filthy sewage into our area’s waterways.

“People in Colchester are sick to the back teeth with Conservative MPs voting time and again to allow water companies to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“Come the election, this government faces a reckoning at the ballot box from people fed up with this sewage scandal.

“The Liberal Democrats have led the way for years in campaigning for tougher action to stop this filthy practice. We want to see a tougher water regulator, an end to bonuses for polluting water company bosses and stronger protections for our local environment.”

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