Sir Ed Davey has said the government is “dragging its feet” on water pollution during a visit to Sussex.

The Liberal Democrat leader made the comments during a trip to Christian Youth Enterprises Sailing Centre in Chichester on Friday.

Sir Ed helped to rig canoes with primary school children at the sailing club, before taking to the water alongside Chichester MP Jess Brown Fuller and Mid Sussex MP Alison Bennett.

The visit came in the wake of the Liberal Democrats releasing new analysis of Environment Agency data, which found water companies discharged sewage into designated bathing sites for almost 150,000 hours last year.

Jess Brown Fuller MP (left), Sir Ed Davey MP (centre) and Alison Bennett MP (right) (Image: The Argus)

Speaking to The Argus, Sir Ed said the government was doing “nowhere near enough” to combat water pollution.

He added: “The Conservatives, we chased them when they were in government and they failed to deal with the regulator, with the industry itself.

“We had hoped when the new government set up a water commission it would actually follow that with real action, but it’s just not gone fast enough.

“So the actual particular message today is that even in designated bathing sites, the last five years there have been one million sewage dumps, so in areas where people are told it’s safe and people regularly bathe, there’s sewage there.

“We’re coming into the summer months, many families will want to go out into the river or the sea near them and bathe, and they’ll see it’s a designated bathing site and they’ll want to get out and there’s a danger they might get ill.

“I think it’s reasonable in 2026 to expect the water companies not to do that and for the government to get very, very tough on those that continue to do it.”

Sir Ed’s comments were echoed by Ms Brown-Fuller, who said: “The issue with water pollution is not going away anytime fast, and there’s a real sense of frustration from residents that I speak to on the doorsteps who cannot see the change that this government has promised anywhere near fast enough.

“The government has said that they’re going to scrap all the regulators and create a regulator with teeth, which the Liberal Democrats have been calling for, for many years.

“They’re yet to actually see that happen.

“ What they want to see is water companies properly held to account for their actions.”

Sir Ed Davey visiting Chichester (Image: The Argus)

The Argus has an ongoing campaign against water pollution, Protect Sussex Waters, which seeks to hold politicians and water bosses to account on the issue.

Asked for his thoughts on Protect Sussex Waters, Sir Ed said: “I totally back The Argus’s campaign, it’s brilliant to see a local paper championing such an important issue for people and families, and the local economy.”

Protect Sussex Waters (Image: The Argus)

He added: “People come here to enjoy the beautiful coastline and water and if the water companies are failing to do their job by just making huge profits and dividends for their shareholders and giving their bosses huge bonuses, they’re hurting other businesses, they’re hurting the local economy, as well as potentially making people sick.”

During a previous visit to Sussex in February, Sir Ed said he would like to see the area painted “Lib-Dem orange” at next week’s local elections.

When asked about his party’s chances on May 8, Sir Ed said: “We’re really excited about the elections.

Sir Ed Davey visiting Chichester (Image: The Argus)

“The general election less than two years ago was our best election across Sussex in living memory, getting five Liberal Democrat MPs elected and I think people have seen what a difference they make.

“We often say we feel we’re local champions and when you elect a Liberal Democrat MP or councillor, you get someone who’s in the community, listening to the community and acting and working with the community to change things.”

He added that the party was competing “really hard” in both East and West Sussex, and expected to make “really good” gains.

Sir Ed Davey visiting Chichester (Image: The Argus)

The Argus also asked Sir Ed about the rise of Reform UK, following Nigel Farage’s visit to Sussex on April 30, in which Mr Farage said he was “quietly confident” about his party’s chances at the polls.

Sir Ed said that there was “no doubt” that in parts of Sussex the fight would be between Reform and the the Liberal Democrats, and he would urge those considering voting Labour or Green to get behind his party.

He added: “I just urge people to look at Reform more closely and just imagine what they do.

“You can see it in the councils they run, they promised council tax cuts, they put council tax up, they’ve closed care homes, their performance is really poor.

“You see Reform councillors get elected and they resign or get suspended, so Reform has proved to be an absolute disaster when they’ve been put in charge of councils.”

Ms Brown-Fuller echoed Sir Ed’s comments, describing Mr Farage as having “absolutely no plan” and offering only “smoke and mirrors”.