Beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is battling on multiple fronts for his own future in the top job as well as for the continuation of Conservative government. With polls consistently forecasting anything from a sizeable defeat to virtual wipe-out for Sunak and his fellow Tory MPs in the expected autumn general election, the months ahead promise turbulent times. He faces multiple issues, ranging from the ongoing cost-of-living crisis to open revolt from within his own party ranks.

The list of troubles conspiring to topple the prime minister is ever growing. But with water bills set to rise by 6% in April, might it be a steadily growing sense of outrage at the polluted state of the nation’s sewage-clogged, much-loved rivers, lakes and coastal resorts that ultimately sinks Sunak and the Tory ship? The current of public opinion on this crisis has been flowing against the government for years and there is little indication that the tide is about to turn. The frequent, grim television images of raw sewage being pumped into our inland waterways and coastal areas appear to make a mockery of government claims that it is taking significant action by setting strict new targets for water companies to clean up their acts, working on multi-billion pounds investments on storm overflows, plus improved infrastructure and super-sewers. What’s more, water company shareholders continue to receive massive dividends at the same time as more rivers stagnate, more wildlife dies and more bathers become ill after venturing into polluted waters.

Some councils and individuals are taking legal action against water companies, but there is a widespread feeling that, as far as water is concerned, Sunak’s repeated slogan of “Long term decisions for a brighter future” is simply not enough. The prime minister came out fighting at the start of election year, adopting familiar vote-catching tactics and manoeuvring statistics to suggest that the promises he made when taking office are either already achieved or a done deal; he also claims that his successes will mean further “tax cuts” and other national benefits. This might be enough to keep him afloat, though public frustration over the state of our waters could also see Sunak’s election hopes disappear down the plughole.