THE Lib Dems are calling for action over the pumping of raw sewage into Wellington and Taunton waterways which it describes as a “complete scandal.”

The party refers to new figures released by the Environment Agency which have shown that Wessex Water discharged sewage into waterways for a 372,341 hours last year.

That is a 187 per cent increase on the 2022 figure, the Lib Dems say, as it calls for action to stop the dumping of sewage and recommends replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator.

The Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into local rivers and waterways.

“This includes over 1,000 such events in the catchment of the Tone which runs through Taunton and Wellington”. 

“The thousands of local residents who worked with me to win Bathing Water Status for the Tone show how much people care about this issue. 

“It frankly beggars belief that Conservative MPs have allowed water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism. 

“Local people are furious that Conservative politicians blocked tougher action on these disgraced firms.

"The Liberal Democrats are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local rivers/beaches including replacing OfWat with a regulator which 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."