Last week saw a big win in our fight to make water companies clean up their act and stop polluting our rivers.

On Wednesday last week, MPs were debating the UK Infrastructure Bank bill. This new bank, backed up by taxpayers’ cash, will be able to give loans to organisations across the country to help improve our infrastructure.

I don’t think it’s right that our money should be used to bail out the negligent water companies, which continue to pay out millions in bonuses and dividends instead of investing in sewers and our vital storm overflow systems.

We’ve seen South West Water awarded a one star rating by the Environment Agency, after having been found to have discharged sewage into rivers, lakes and onto our beaches over 42,000 times last year.

This represents more than 350,000 hours of dumping – including at our prestigious Blue Flag beaches, with three of the ten most affected beaches being in Devon.

And yet what is their reaction? To give the Chief Exec a bonus of more than £1 million on top of an already bumper salary.

And this is not an isolated case. Just last year, water companies have paid out dividends to the tune of almost £1billion – with water company Chief Executives also pocketing £16.5 million in bonuses.

Why should these people be profiting from polluting? Why should they be allowed to cut corners and get away with it?

That’s why I fought to amend the Bill, to prevent this new Infrastructure Bank lending our money to water firms unless they have a clear, costed and time-limited plan to end sewage discharges once and for all.

I’m glad that I was successful; the Government backed down and accepted my changes. This is a significant win, but it is not the end of the fight.

The Liberal Democrats have consistently been the people’s voice on this environmental scandal and have repeatedly pushed for action like this. I will continue to hold both the Government and water companies to account for their actions and to ensure they truly clean up their act.