Southern Water chief grilled by Webb as hosepipe ban introduced

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The BBC presenter claimed people would be suspicious of what she was saying due to her company previously having been found guilty of dumping raw sewage into the sea. The radio host raged at Southern Water for knowingly polluting the environment in order to cut costs and gain financially. Ms Taylor batted down claims that customers would be suspicious of the company’s conduct, insisting the main focus is to deliver to their customers while the hosepipe ban remains in place.

Mr Webb said: “You see again, people will be suspicious about what you’re saying.

“Because last year you were found guilty, weren’t you by a court? Of putting raw sewage into the sea.

“And doing it to cut for financial gains, so that you didn’t have to treat it yourselves.

“There will be a suspicion… More than a suspicion among a lot of your customers, that actually this water company is not being run primarily for their benefit.”

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Ms Taylor told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The water company is absolutely run for the benefit of our customers, and for the environment and that is in everything that we do.”

Mr Webb added: “Well they didn’t last year, did they? And that’s not what the judge found.

“They found that you were dumping raw sewage into the sea for financial gain.”

Ms Taylor said: “Related to activities which took place about seven years ago, and we’ve made huge changes in the business.

“In terms of the management, the culture, so that it absolutely doesn’t happen today.”

Hosepipe ban: Hampshire resident criticises Southern Water

Southern Water was fined a staggering £90million last year in July, for knowingly and deliberately dumping raw sewage off the south coast between the years 2010 and 2015.

The company has vowed to change its ways, but many areas in the UK are still experiencing sewage dumping into rivers and the sea.

Activist groups have been protesting water companies’ choices to pollute the environment, as it can cause ill health and sickness for Britons.

Southern Water recently imposed a hosepipe ban in various regions of the country, in order to push Britons to save water.

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One of the founders of SOS Whitstable, Elane Heffernan discussed the damage sewage dumping in the sea does to the environment.

Ms Heffernan told Kent Online: “I have a disability and health condition, which makes swimming quite difficult, but I have been sick twice after swimming.

“One time at the beginning of August I didn’t realise there had been a release and for three days I had horrid symptoms. The second time was a couple of days after a release in September.

“It is really hard because I moved here to have a healthy lifestyle and swim in the sea but now cold showers are the only way I can get coldness circulating to help my health.”

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