Lib Dem Ed Davey joins River Nidd debate with call for ‘Blue Flag’ status to protect it from sewage dumping

The prominent national party figure entered the long-running debate by saying that current efforts in Knaresborough and Harrogate to win the polluted Nidd ‘Bathing Water Status’ needed to be augmented by stronger measures.

“The sewage scandal in the Nidd continues to rumble on and it’s local people who are being let down,” said Mr Davey.

“The Government has failed to get a grip on this environmental catastrophe despite having endless chances to do so.

"What’s worse is that Conservative MPs have constantly failed to support measures which would tackle this crisis."

Under the Lib Dems new policy, the Nidd would be designated with special status to protect it from pollution, including water companies discharging sewage into it.

Water companies which continued to dump their sewage into Blue Flag rivers would face punitive fines.

Recent data shows the River Nidd was subject to 1,082 sewage dumps in 2023, up by 375 on the previous year.

The Nidd faced 12,445 hours of sewage being discharged, an increase of 6,771 hours, or over 50%.

It made it the 31st most dumped into river across the entire country last year.

Yorkshire Water may claim that huge rise in sewage spillages in the Nidd in 2023 were 'result of worst storms in years' and point to its current £19 million investment to help improve water quality in the river Nidd by removing Phosphorus from treated wastewater.

But Lib Dem leader Ed Davey is convinced local Tories are failing to do enough.

“Harrogate and Knaresborough need a strong local MP with the energy and enthusiasm to get to grips with the sewage crisis we are seeing,” said Mr Davey.

"I know Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon is the best person to do just that,”

Harrogate and Knaresborough is one of the top Lib Dem target seats being targeted at the forthcoming general election

Under the new Lib Dem proposals, rivers could be designated with the special status to protect them from pollution, including water companies discharging sewage into them.

This would also give river swimmers the knowledge that certain environmental standards were being met, meaning they could swim in them without fear of getting sick.

Water companies that continued to dump their sewage into Blue Flag rivers would face punitive fines.