The newly elected Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Torbay has called on Ofwat to rethink “disgraceful” water bill rises.
Steve Darling MP, has backed their first Parliamentary Motion since being sworn in this week, which has urged Ofwat to reconsider water bill rises.
The motion, proposed by the Liberal Democrats, will be presented once the King has re-opened Parliament next week.
South West Water has announced it will hike bills by a staggering 13%, despite water firms being allowed to dump raw sewage into local waterways.
During the general election, the Liberal Democrats called for Ofwat to be abolished and a new water regulator established with greater powers.
The Liberal Democrats are requesting that Ofwat use their existing powers to crack down on large water bill rises. The party is also calling on the government to implement a ban on water company executive bonuses until sewage discharges end and leaks are fixed.
Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Torbay, Steve Darling said: “This water bill hike is an affront to our community, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. To make matters worse, these water companies continue to discharge raw sewage into our wonderful seas.”
“South West Water should not be allowed to get away with this. Communities like Torbay have voted to take tough action on these polluting and profiteering firms. After seeing the dreadful effect sewage dumping has had on local businesses, the regulator and government must listen.”
“People have told me they want an MP who will stand up against these firms. That is why one of my first actions in Parliament will be to hold these disgraceful companies accountable for their unacceptable water bill hikes.”
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