In the recent heatwave, with the hottest temperature in May on record, some will have enjoyed time in their parks and gardens (perhaps seeking shade).
But others might, like us Greens, also spare a thought for the hundreds of South East Water homes in Kent still, at the time of writing, with no or little water coming out of the tap for days.
Water security
It’s a reminder of our dependence on fragile water supplies.
At an recent talk by GOVET (Great Ouse Valley Environmental Trust) I learned, amongst other things, that Grafham Water, Bedford Borough’s main source for water, has very high and rising levels of nitrate pollution.
The questions Greens now ask are: where is the new investment in Anglian Water reservoirs for a secure, safe future water supply? And what infrastructure could be more important than water?
River or sewer?
Since water privatisation under Thatcher’s government in 1989, astonishing private shareholder profits and debt-loading have driven this country’s water industry, while untreated sewage has flowed into our rivers and streams; it’s cheaper for water companies to allow ‘spills’ than to invest enough in old infrastructure.
The Rivers Trust estimates nearly 400,000 total spills across England and Wales in 2025. In addition, there is toxic pollution of our waterways from agricultural runoff and urban development.
Bedford’s ‘jewel in the crown’, the river Great Ouse, enjoyed in different ways by locals and, of course, the centre of July’s River Festival, is treated much like a sewer.
We need to make sure it doesn’t deteriorate further.
Health and nature above private profit
Greens have always recognised that there shouldn’t be profit in vital natural resources like water, at the expense of both public health and nature.
In an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, Anglian Water bills rose here by about 19% in April 2025 and then by about 7% this April… while the state of our local waterways remains highly polluted, according to high-level citizen-science testing by GOVET.
Last year, the Ouse in Sussex became the first river in the country to have its rights formally recognised, after Lewes district council agreed to adopt a charter to protect the river.
Now the whole of the river Wye is to have the same rights. In both areas, Green councillors played key roles in this work, which is a start on a path to improvement.
Bedford’s Green councillors are working on a similar change.
However, Greens say: long-term improvement to the country’s waterways will not come about until the Government ends the con of water being in the hands of private monopolies.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Cllr Lucy Bywater, on behalf of the Bedford Green Party.
It is published unedited and does not reflect the
views of the Bedford Independent.
