Thames Water boss Chris Weston has refused to meet with council leaders in Basingstoke, Hampshire, to talk about the town’s ongoing sewage problems. The refusal comes after months of complaints about waste being dumped into local rivers and flooding onto residential streets.
Environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey pointed out the decision, which has upset local officials like Cllr Dr Paul Harvey. In 2024, figures show that raw sewage was poured into the River Loddon for a total of 938 hours through storm overflow pipes.
Residents have reported seeing waste tankers lined up on their roads and raw sewage being pumped out in public areas. Many people are worried about the health of the local environment and the safety of their water supply as bills continue to rise.
Thames Water says it is working on a plan to upgrade its system and improve how it handles wastewater. The company explained that it is going through an operational change to modernise its network and stop these discharges from happening in the future.
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