Since first being elected in 2016, I have campaigned tirelessly to tackle issues of water pollution and flooding for my constituents.
Like other residents, I have been increasingly angered by the number of sewage releases being conducted by Thames Water from Witney Sewage Works.
Following reports of frequent, unacceptable discharges taking place over recent months, I wrote to Sarah Bentley, CEO of Thames Water on two separate occasions to reaffirm my strong opposition to any sewage releases.
In these letters, I called for Thames Water to take urgent action to start the much-needed local infrastructure upgrades to resolve these long-standing issues that residents in West Oxfordshire care so passionately about.
Recently, I welcomed Thames Water’s confirmation following my campaign that expansion works to increase capacity at the Witney Sewage Treatment Works by 50 per cent will begin this month (February 2023) and reach completion by March next year.
I was also encouraged to receive further confirmation of investment to sewage treatment works across West Oxfordshire, including Bampton, Chipping Norton, Church Hanborough, Enstone, Finstock, Middle Barton, Milton-Under-Wychwood, South Leigh and Stanton Harcourt.
Whilst recent progress being made locally by Thames Water to address these issues is encouraging, I will continue to hold Thames Water to account on delivering these infrastructure upgrades over the coming weeks and months.
