Arun District Council boss meets with Southern Water following sewage releases

Cllr Gunner met with two leading figures from the water company: the Chief Customer Officer and the Director of Quality and Environment at Southern Water, to whom he presented ‘concerns and frustrations’ about storm overflows.

He said: “I challenged them on several areas that are causing concerns for residents, one being their historic responses to planning applications and accompanying infrastructure. I'm pleased they acknowledged this is an issue, and that they recognised that residents and businesses are concerned. They have offered to meet with councillors to discuss these challenges, and we are going to work together on how we can reduce the pressures on the system so that storm overflows are only ever a last resort.

In response, the Southern Water bosses told Clrr Gunner about their current plans for investing in local networks. They said that, with the South Downs National Park, Pagham Harbour, Climping Beach and other ‘environmentally special areas’ on our town’s doorstep, Bognor Regis and the wider Arun District will be a higher priority for ‘significant investment.’

The meeting comes after sewage was released across 17 Sussex beaches – including Bognor Regis – over 72 hours earlier this month, and local MPs signed a letter calling such releases ‘unacceptable’.

It also comes alongside a sewage release protest organised by Bognor Regis residents to encourage the government to take more active steps against water companies.

“I'm grateful that Southern Water took the time to meet with me and listen first-hand some of the anger and concern of residents. This is the start of an ongoing conversation and I want to reassure the people in Arun that we are on the case and on your side,” Cllr Gunner added.

“We are going to work with Southern Water to do everything we can to ensure that these storm overflows become less and less of an issue. It won't happen overnight, but over time, with the aim of decreasing the use storm overflows in the district helping Arun will become an even better to live, to work and to visit.”