Yesterday, at a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) evidence session, CEO of Ofwat, David Black, ignored calls from Richmond Park MP, Sarah Olney, to support blocking Thames Water's proposed 'direct water abstraction' (DRA) scheme. 

The scheme would see highly treated sewage pumped into the Thames near Teddington during times of drought to maintain river levels. 

A spokesperson for Sarah Olney MP said that In response to a question in which Olney asked Mr Black to push Thames Water to 'abandon' the DRA scheme, he responded by sidestepping the question, but did note: 'while we appreciate that it [The Thames Water DRA proposal] does, no doubt, have adverse consequences, it is about a choice between a number of schemes.

The response came despite massive opposition to the proposals, including from Sarah Olney MP, due to fears the scheme would mean tearing apart parts of the local Ham Lands nature reserve and an adjacent Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). 

The Lib Dem party has also raised serious questions over the presence of PFA's (colloquially described as forever chemicals) and the viral and bacterial makeup of the wastewater that will be pumped into the Thames should the project go ahead. 

Sarah Olney said: "Thames Water intends to tear apart a nature reserve so it can dump billions of litres of sewage into an unspoilt part of the river.

"Ofwat doesn't care and this Conservative Government won't stand up to water bosses."

She added: "The CEO of Ofwat's refusal to try and intervene to block this scheme is the latest evidence that this is a regulator that has lost its teeth.

"Water companies are pocketing millions whilst allowing our waterways and local environments to be destroyed by sewage, and still, Ofwat fails to act. Frankly, the whole thing stinks."