Councillors of all political hues in Norfolk have backed a call to explore whether water companies could be forced to pay compensation to businesses affected by sewage discharges.
Members of Norfolk County Council unanimously backed a motion calling for County Hall to investigate what more it can do to ensure water companies that breach rules over sewage discharge are fined.
And officers have also been tasked with establishing what pressure - if any - the council can bring to bear on water companies to compensate businesses which lose out due to sewer discharges.
The opposition Labour group motion on the issue was backed by all councillors at a meeting on Tuesday (May 9).
A County Hall committee will now explore what powers and opportunities are available to the authority and report back to the council.
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Andrew Jamieson, the Conservative-controlled council's deputy leader, said, as lead flood authority, the council needed a "far more robust" ability to put pressure on water companies.
And Eric Vardy, the council's cabinet member for environment and waste, said: "We need to be seen as a catalyst for change among organisations and businesses.
"As much pressure as we can put on these companies, the better."
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Labour group leader Steve Morphew said responsibility for compensating businesses affected by sewage discharge should be with water companies, while Liberal Democrat Rob Colwell said: "Sewage in rivers is a real issue in Norfolk."
And Green group leader Ben Price said Norfolk tourism could suffer if people stay away because of dirty water.
Bosses at Anglian Water, at a recent scrutiny meeting at the same council, defended their attempts to reduce how often raw sewage is released through the overflows, which they are permitted to do in certain circumstances.
He said Anglian Water was investing £800m in the region between 2020 and 2025, creating more wetland to prevent surface water run-off heaping pressure on pipes.
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