Water companies pumped raw sewage into rivers and seas at least 400,000 times last year

Untreated waste poured into waters for 3 million hours, figures show, as government plans crackdown

Discharges of sewage harm wildlife and people (AFP via Getty Images)

Water companies legally discharged raw sewage into English rivers and coastal waters more than 400,000 times last year, government data has revealed.

Ten water and sewerage firms released untreated human effluent into rivers and seas over a total of 3.1 million hours.

Environmental campaigners say raw sewage kills fish and other wildlife, and risks spreading diseases such as hepatitis, E.coli and gastroenteritis.

The new figures are much higher than the year before, but the Environment Agency said this was down to an increase in the number of storm overflow pipes being monitored.

Storm overflows are intended to be used in rainy weather to prevent sewers becoming overloaded and sending wastewater back into buildings.

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But water companies are using overflows more than ever now because rising volumes of rainwater caused by climate change and population growth have increased strain on pipes.

Using overflows for untreated sewage is legal provided the companies have a permit.

The South East Rivers Trust has previously said: “As our population grows and we experience more extreme weather events as a result of climate change, the frequency of these discharges will only increase, unless action is taken.”

In 2019, raw sewage was pumped into rivers 292,864 times, totalling 1.5 million hours. Last year, cases recorded rose to 403,171, after the numbers of overflows being monitored rose by nearly 50 per cent, from 8,276 to 12,092.

The Environment Agency said average spill numbers per company fell slightly, from 35 to 33.

Water companies are obliged by law to monitor discharges and report them to the agency.

Only 14 per cent of rivers are considered ecologically healthy, by government measures.

Earlier this week the government said it wanted to cut sewage discharges, and that ministers would publish an action plan by September next year.

Sir James Bevan, the agency’s chief executive, said: “The Environment Agency is working actively with the water companies to ensure overflows are properly controlled and the harm they do to the environment stopped.

“Increased monitoring and reporting of storm overflows is part of the solution. It means everyone can see exactly what is happening, and will help drive the improvements and future investment that we all want to see, with £1.1bn of investment already planned for the next four years.

“Monitoring of the sewerage network has increased 14-fold in the last five years. In the next four years water companies will undertake 800 investigations and 798 improvement schemes to storm overflows.”

He said a storm overflows taskforce was also looking into further ways to reduce the harm.

Michelle Walker, of the South East Rivers Trust, told The Guardian: “The 2020 data indicates that, appallingly, almost one in five overflows across England is discharging more than 60 times per year, a number which is supposed to trigger an EA investigation. This is a staggering statistic.”

Hugo Tagholm, of Surfers Against Sewage, told the paper: “Whilst the government is proposing new laws to be agreed for 2022, the sewage pollution crisis is here today and needs swift, decisive and enforced action.”

A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said: “Water companies are committed to playing their part in reducing any harm from storm overflows.” Firms aimed to monitor all of England’s 14,630 overflows by the end of 2023, it added.