The Isle of Wight's MP is among those from across south Hampshire, West Sussex and the Island to form a new forum aimed at improving water quality in harbours and across The Solent region.

They have brought together local community representatives and officials from the Environment Agency and local government, with Southern Water’s Chief Executive, to discuss the water company’s plans to phase out storm water releases and improve water quality in Langstone and Chichester Harbours and in The Solent.

The Forum also heard from Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, who set out the steps the Government is already taking.

It includes the phase out of storm water releases, forcing improvements to make home use of water more efficient and requiring more from housebuilders.

Earlier this week, warnings were issued by Southern Water over water quality at nearly all the Isle of Wight's beaches, after heavy rain.

The utility firm is allowed to discharge what it calls 'stormwater' if it is to protect homes and businesses.

However, it told the County Press it had made major investments as part of the bathing water improvement scheme, including a storm tank tunnel under Arthur’s Hill, Shanklin, which is designed to reduced releases by 33 per cent.

Meanwhile it was also fined £90 million in court for after admitting historic pollution charges and issued a reassurance to Islanders after problems in Hampshire's River Test.

"A cynicism which is breath-taking"

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely said, “Southern Water’s actions are appalling and frankly unforgiveable because these have been deliberate acts.

"They showed a cynicism which is breath-taking. I, and other MPs, talked with Southern Water a few weeks ago before the verdict about what needs to be done to improve.

"We need a long term plan to prevent Southern Water and the other water companies from being able to discharge raw sewage."

MPs have called on Southern Water to set out a plan to phase out releases, to comply with the new legal obligations set out in the new Environment Act.

Southern Water’s CEO Ian McAulay said he was committed to reducing the frequency of releases, and pointed to their current work with Natural England and universities to build a new digital ‘baseline’ assessment system, expected to be up and running within a year. 

The new baseline assessment tool will be key to accurately identifying the sources of pollution within the harbours, providing the partnership the ability to implement targeted solutions and track the impacts accordingly, to tackle the issue of pollution and protect these precious natural habitats.

Studies are also underway to improve drainage through nature-based solutions.

Mr McAulay said: “The systems we have in place today are not the systems we need to get to where we want to be tomorrow, for the benefit of our customers and the environment. You have my full support and I really like the fact that people are talking about water quality.”

The first meeting of the Forum was chaired by Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt who said, “So many people across Portsmouth and the wider region want releases to end. It will take effort and investment and it is only by this joined up approach we will be able to deliver all that is required. We need frank conversations and to be focussed on the outcomes we all want to see. It won’t be easy but it must be done.”

Havant MP Alan Mak said: "I’ve been working on this issue for several years, and having proposed the creation of the Forum I’m pleased Southern Water are taking this issue seriously and working constructively to improve the health of our harbours and the wider Solent. However, the Forum’s MPs recognise there’s more work to do and we are working together to continue pressing Southern Water to improve water quality in our region”.

Chichester MP Gillian Keegan said, “It’s great to be working with so many of my colleagues to put a spotlight on Southern Water’s performance and improvement plans. It’s brilliant to have so much direct involvement from the Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, and I hope that our collective pressure will ensure a solution-focused approach continues. This is just one area of activity, I will also continue to work with community groups, CHaPRoN, and all agencies involved to ensure we improve the condition of the Chichester Harbour, Pagham Harbour and inland waterways.”