A newly elected MP has met with environmentalists in response to concerns with sewage dumping in the River Evenlode.

Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, Calum Miller met members of the Evenlode Catchment Partnership (ECP) last Saturday.

He took part in water testing and to find out more about the work they do.

Mr Miller explained that during his visit evidence of high levels of pollution were found in the river, which he was "sadly" not surprised at.

The MP is now calling on a restructuring of Thames Water along with other water companies, which he says is "long overdue".

He also believes Ofwat "needs to be scrapped" because Thames Water requires a "much more robust" regulator.

Mr Miller stressed the importance of groups like the ECP.

"The data they gather is critical in holding the water companies to account," he said. 

Hosted by charity Wild Oxfordshire, the ECP works with a range of partners, aiming to restore the Evenlode Catchment to good ecological status.

Rising near Moreton-in-Marsh and running through villages and towns including Shipton-under-Wychwood and Charlbury, the River Evenlode joins the River Thames just below Cassington, near Witney. 

Mr Miller told the Oxford Mail: "I've been aware of the level of pollution in a number of our rivers for a number of years. 

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"This was a great opportunity to meet the people who have been working for a number of years now on the Evenlode and hear more about the amazing work they have been doing."

In response to this, a Thames Water spokesperson said: "We know how much people enjoy and appreciate our rivers, and we are committed to seeing our waterways thrive, but we can’t do it alone.

"Farming, industry, road runoff, wildlife and increasingly extreme weather also play a role in river health. 

"We have clear and deliverable plans to upgrade 250 of our sites across the region, to increase treatment capacity and reduce the number of storm discharges.

"This includes our Charlbury and Finstock sewage treatment works.

“As infrastructure ages and demand on it increases more investment is needed across the entire sector.

"That’s why we’ve asked for increased investment in the next regulatory cycle between 2025-2030. 

"We’ve put transparency at the heart of what we do, and we were the first water company to publish a real time data map on our website, which in its first year has been viewed over 350,000 times.”

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs has been contacted for comment.

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Speaking on the visit from the MP, Evenlode Catchment Partnership project officer, Eoghan Concannon said: “I think it’s a good start when you have MPs show an interest, but its important they are proactive and deliver for the people that elected them.

“MPs have a big role to improve things because we need to have that political backing as well as engaging with communities and the public, which we try to do to the best of our ability.

“We just need adequate action to stop pollution at source... and this is the start of it hopefully, with the new locally elected MPs and government administration.”