NORTH Cornwall MP Ben Maguire has urged South West Water’s Chief Executive, Susan Davy, to “do the decent thing” and quit while leading a debate on the Cornish sewage scandal in the House of Commons.

Mr Maguire led a recent debate on Sewage Discharges in the House of Commons Chamber and highlighted the widespread failings of South West Water.

Speaking to a busy Commons Chamber and facing off against Environment Minister Emma Hardy MP across the Dispatch Box, Mr Maguire explained how the issue of sewage dumping in our waterways was one of the biggest concerns constituents raised during the General Election.

Mr Maguire highlighted the shocking sewage dumping statistics at world renowned beaches like Harlyn, Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Summerleaze and Crackington Haven while also highlighting the poor water quality in rivers including the Allen and Inney. The River Camel’s water quality had earlier today been labelled “unfavourable” and Cornwall’s Wildlife Trust urged action before ecosystems and species suffer irreversible damage.

Among other measures, the MP urged the government to introduce a Sewage Illness Compensation Scheme which would force water companies to compensate sewage victims who fall ill due to contaminated water.

After the debate, Ben Maguire MP said: “I am calling for Susan Davy to finally do the decent thing and go because under her failed leadership South West Water have one of the worst records in the country when it comes to sewage dumping.

“They have failed to invest in critical infrastructure time and again which would have prevented the diabolical situation we now find ourselves in. Children as young as three years old are getting sick after playing on our Cornish beaches – how can we possibly trust them to fix this mess?

“Soon after my election I saw the chaos they caused in St Eval which lost its water supply because a local reservoir tank had cracked following years of underinvestment. The latest debacle is chronic low water pressure for residents in Week St Mary and the surrounding areas which remains unresolved.

“The sewage scandal cannot be allowed to continue and I was elected North Cornwall’s MP, in part, on a mandate to take urgent action on this. As well as urging the Minister to adopt Liberal Democrat plans to criminalise water bosses who continue to dump sewage in our waterways, I also urged the government to scrap the toothless water regulator OFWAT and replace it with a proper enforcement body.

“If water companies continue awarding dividends to their shareholders and executives instead of investing customer money in vital infrastructure then they must be held to account. There should also be powers for the regulator to strip failing water companies of their license if necessary.

“This is just the start. I won’t let the government or South West Water off the hook. It is totally unacceptable that young children and people of all ages are falling ill just by swimming or surfing in our seas”.

South West Water did not respond to a request for comment.