A swimming group has called to ‘take back control of our water’ after the chief executive of Thames Water stepped down with immediate effect this week.

Sarah Bentley's surprise departure yesterday, Tuesday, June 27, came weeks after she shunned her bonus over sewage spills - with river stretches in Oxford, Wheatley and Wallingford impacted.

The Henley Mermaids, a group of five women who are longstanding campaigners against river pollution, said she had failed to make any real inroads into addressing sewage discharges.

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A statement from the group said: “Sarah Bentley received a £3.1m golden hello when she joined Thames Water and this year, after making a big song and dance about not taking a bonus, was paid £1.5m. She has been telling us for the past three years us that sewage dumping is unacceptable, but she failed to make any real inroads into addressing the issue.”

“We’ve been campaigning on this issue for years and while we’ve seen much greater transparency from Thames Water over sewage discharges, what we’ve not seen is any meaningful action to address it.”

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Last year, the group completed a 104km swim of the river Thames in stages – which started in Cricklade in Wiltshire and finished in Henley – to spread awareness of river pollution and raise money for environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage.

The group's members include Laura Reineke, Jo Robb, Joan Fennelly, Fiona Print, and Susan Barr.

They said: “We are seeing raw sewage being dumped into the Thames up and down the length of the river including at Henley, the home of the regatta. Every week we get reports of children being sick from paddling in the river.

“This is Britain, a G7 economy in 2023, and children can’t paddle in our rivers in a heatwave without being sick from sewage. It’s a total disgrace.”

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“Whoever takes over from Sarah Bentley will inherit a company saddled with debt and lumbered with failing infrastructure: pipework that leaks a third of its water and a crumbling sewage treatment network that discharges raw sewage into our rivers for thousands of hours a year. All the while, foreign shareholders are raking in the cash.

“Whoever takes over will be paid a fortune while it’s us bill payers who will be expected to fund upgrades to Thames Water’s infrastructure.”

Ms Bentley said: “It has been an honour to take on such a significant challenge, and a privilege to serve Thames Water’s dedicated and inspirational colleagues.

“The foundations of the turnaround that we have laid position the company for future success to improve service for customers and environmental performance.

“I wish everyone involved in the turnaround the very best.”