Thousands of customers in England and Wales are refusing to pay their water bills in protest against sewage pollution, leading to legal action from water companies.
Thousands of customers in England and Wales are refusing to pay their water bills in protest against the excessive release of sewage into waterways. Water companies are now taking these customers to court, escalating the conflict. The Environment Agency (EA) reported a staggering 3.6 million hours of sewage released into waterways in 2023, more than double the previous year.
This alarming increase, coupled with the government's pledge to address the issue, has fueled customer frustration and prompted the boycott.One prominent case involves Caz Dennett, who has stopped paying her Wessex Water bill since April 2023. She is scheduled to appear at Weymouth County Court on February 10th to face charges. Dennett argues that Wessex Water is not providing the full range of services promised, including the proper treatment and disposal of sewage. She believes that, due to ongoing sewage spills from their network, customers are entitled to a rebate. She plans to negotiate a discount with the company, citing documented instances of untreated sewage discharge from her property.Wessex Water maintains that they are actively investing in solutions to reduce storm overflow discharges, spending £3 million every month on related schemes. They claim to have already discussed these initiatives with Ms. Dennett and emphasize their commitment to addressing customer concerns. However, Dennett remains resolute in her stance, refusing to pay until she sees tangible improvements in water quality. Another case involves angler Mike Deacon from Lewes, East Sussex. He joined the boycott in 2021, protesting Southern Water's history of sewage pollution. Despite being ordered by a court to pay his outstanding bill in 2022, Deacon resumed withholding 50% of his payments, arguing that Southern Water profits from environmentally damaging practices. He believes that until the company invests in proper sewage infrastructure, he will not contribute to their financial gain
Sewage Pollution Water Bills Boycott Environment Agency Wessex Water Southern Water Court Action
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