The Government has introduced some welcome measures that build on existing legislation to tidy up our waterways. Residents are very aware of the dangers of poor water quality in our local water bodies. This is of particular concern in the River Colne as it crosses the western border of the constituency.
The previous Conservative Government took measures to ensure that the water quality was effectively monitored. Prior to 2010, little was publicly known about the state of our waterways as there was little interest expressed by Labour Ministers in assessing the quality of our water.
I was proud to support my constituency neighbour, Joy Morrisey as she tabled her two amendments to further improve local waterways. Amendment 3 would have prohibited any overflows in river areas, such as the Colne or Thames, that are used for aquatic sports. This would give water used for aquatic sports the same protection as that used for bathing. It would establish clear consequences for water companies and their chief executives where they fail to comply with a clear duty to protect the water.
