Representatives visit Napton Sewage Treatment after reports that it has one of the worst records of overflows in the country

Severn Trent organised a visit for Sir Jeremy Wright (MP for Kenilworth and Southam), Cllr Ian Williams and Cllr Nigel Rock, who wrote to Sir Jeremy expressing his concerns about the overflows.

The three men were given a guided tour of the treatment works, and also visited a storm overflow on the River Stowe, discussing at length with Severn Trent about how it operates.

"Napton Sewage Treatment works has been reported in the national press as having the worst record of overflows in the country,” wrote Cllr Rock in his letter to the MP.

"In 2021, the Napton sewer storm overflow near Folly Lane spilled 279 times for a total of 6,046 hours, discharging into a tributary of the River Stowe.

"This was up from the figures of 2020 of 175 overflows for 3,959 hours.

"This is a problem area I have been discussing with Severn Trent and for a while."

Ed Preston, a capital programme liaison specialist from Severn Trent who hosted the visit, said: “During the visit we were able to show the sewage treatment process, including the reed beds we have on site which are a low energy and effective method of treating sewage.

“It was also important to show our storm overflow outfall, and how our activities at Napton are not causing an impact to the environment – our reed beds also treat the water that is discharged by the overflow, so it doesn’t impact the Stowe.

“We know how passionate the local community is to improve the local environment, so we’d like to thank Sir Jeremy, and Councillors Rock and Williams for taking the time to visit.”

Mr Preston also discussed the company's Get River Positive initiative which was launched in March, in collaboration with Anglian Water.

Severn Trent said the idea behind the project was 'to provide a clear and actionable response to calls for a revival of rivers in England', adding: "Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the company will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers."

Sir Jeremy said: “Concern about the efficiency of our water network and in particular wastewater management is at a high level so I am grateful to Severn Trent for the useful discussions we have had on the measures they are taking, and for the opportunity to see some of them for myself.”

Councillor Nigel Rock from Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: “Seeing this kind of operation first hand is always very interesting, as was hearing about the complexity of measurement of discharges that can be measured and how they can be reported.”

"Both Sir Jeremy and I expressed thoughts on the wider implications of regulation both at a national and local level. The planning area strategy and planning application system carries ambiguity about the role of sewage authority as a consultee, probably not understood by all.

"For instance, ‘No Objection’ does not always equal ‘no potential concern’. Without a legal constraint on developments directing storm water into the foul sewers, these global problems are not likely to go away."