Open sewerage pipes in Grosmont have been highlighted in the house of commons this week.
Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume has spoken out about what she says is the area's ‘crumbling water infrastructure’
Alison raised the issue with the Minister for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy, in a debate on on legislation for additional controls on the water industry.
The Labour Member of Parliament was speaking in a debate on legislation for additional controls on the water industry on Tuesday, January 28.
Proposed measures would see the creation of a Water Restoration Fund into which penalties imposed on water companies for specified offences would be paid.
The fund could then be used to finance projects that would improve the quality of the freshwater environment in England.
It comes as recent samples of water at Scarborough’s North Bay and Robin Hood’s Bay showed the standard had dropped from “good” to “sufficient”, according to the Environment Agency (EA).
Scarborough’s South Bay retained the lowest rating of “poor”, while Sandsend, Whitby and Cayton Bay kept their “excellent” ratings.
Mike Dugher, deputy director for the EA in Yorkshire, said an action plan was in place to improve water quality in areas where it was poor.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate to address the urgent issue of poor water quality in the UK’s rivers, lakes, and seas earlier this month, Ms Hume backed the Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill “which will require independent monitoring and hit polluters such as Yorkshire Water where it hurts—in their bank balance”.
Yorkshire Water has said that tackling discharges from storm overflows “is a priority for us”.
A spokesperson added:
“We currently have projects underway at three overflows along the river Esk, as part of our £180m commitment to reducing discharges across the region by April this year, and we will be investing a further £1.5bn into storm overflows over the next five years, including £165m earmarked for coastal investment.
“We are currently busy planning this programme of investment so that we can hit the ground running in April when the regulatory delivery period begins.”
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