By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter
Southampton City Council has declared a vote of no confidence in Southern Water’s ability to protect the River Itchen.
• River friends accuse Southern Water of ‘withholding’ pollution test results
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The move comes as councillors say data from Southern Water showed levels of faecal bacteria in the river reaching 140 times the limit required for designated bathing water status.
Green Party councillor Lori Foster said Southern Water’s management of the Portswood Waste Water Treatment Works was letting people down and the ongoing lack of progress was “simply not acceptable”.
The Portswood ward councillor, who tabled the original vote of no confidence motion at full council on Wednesday, September 23, shared a personal experience to highlight the scale of the problem.
Cllr Foster said: “Close your eyes and imagine it’s the summer of 2024.
“We’re swimming down the River Itchen. Well, at least I was until two days later I had poisoning.
“I was in bed for a week. I was throwing up. It is not very nice, so we come to the subject of faecal pathogens.”
Cllr Foster added: “We’ve had 30 years of pollution into the Itchen. It’s not okay.”
River Itchen at Riverside Park
John Savage, Labour councillor responsible for environment, said data released by Southern Water in August following an Environmental Information Regulations request showed the level of faecal bacteria in the River Itchen was 70,000 colony-forming units (CFUs) per 100 millilitres — the maximum level for designated bathing water status is 500 CFUs per 100 millilitres.
This is significantly higher than readings of around 3,000 CFUs per 100 millilitres recorded by citizen scientists from the Friends of Itchen Estuary group.
Cllr Savage said: “This is absolutely atrocious. It is horrific really.”
He said the root of the issue was with the Environment Agency’s permit, which Southern Water says it sticks to.
Cllr Savage said he was due to meet minister for water and flooding Emma Hardy MP at the upcoming Labour conference to discuss the situation.
Liberal Democrat councillor Thomas Gravatt said failing water companies should be nationalised.
He said: “I have absolutely no confidence in Southern Water’s ability or desire to protect our rivers or the environment.”
Doubts were cast over what impact the motion would actually have.
Reform UK councillor Soham Bandyopadhyay said: “A vote of no confidence in Southern Water may feel satisfying for all of us, but in reality has no legal effect.”
He called for an action plan, proper accountability and a subsequent review to see if progress was being made.
Conservative councillor Steve Galton said the sector needed a regulator which had the teeth to hold water companies to account.
Green Party group leader Matt Renyard said: “A water supply once shared by all is being polluted by the very guardians that we have endowed to be its keepers in the name of profit.”
Councillors ultimately endorsed a Labour amendment to the motion tabled by Cllr Foster’s motion, which confirmed the vote of no confidence alongside commitments to work with local leaders to apply pressure on Southern Water and the Environment Agency.
Dr Nick Mills, Southern Water’s director of environment and innovation, said: “We understand the importance of the River Itchen which is currently rated ‘good’ in ecological status.
“Our sites are operating within permits set by the Environment Agency and we’re investing £160 million to further improve river health, including upgrades to wastewater treatment works and additional river monitoring.
“We support the ambition to formally designate the Itchen Estuary as a bathing water and will continue to work with stakeholders and the community to make this reality.”
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “Sewage pollution is unacceptable and Southern Water must take action to reduce the risk of pollution reaching the River Itchen from their treatment sites.
“Wastewater treatment works are designed to treat sewage and return treated effluent to the environment. We issue permits and monitor compliance to ensure treatment is to a standard that limits damage to the environment.
“We are working with partners through the Lower Itchen Steering Group to improve water quality and the wider environment of this important area.”
• River friends accuse Southern Water of ‘withholding’ pollution test results
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