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| How much raw sewage is released into rivers and the sea, and what are the rules? | How much raw sewage is released into rivers and the sea, and what are the rules? |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Water companies released record spills of raw sewage into the sea and rivers in England in 2023. | Water companies released record spills of raw sewage into the sea and rivers in England in 2023. |
| Rules allow a limited discharge of excess sewage during periods of excess rain, but there is also evidence of "dry spills", which can damage the local environment and pose a health risk to swimmers. | Rules allow a limited discharge of excess sewage during periods of excess rain, but there is also evidence of "dry spills", which can damage the local environment and pose a health risk to swimmers. |
| How much sewage is released into the sea and rivers in England? | How much sewage is released into the sea and rivers in England? |
| Sewage spills into England's rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023. | Sewage spills into England's rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023. |
| According to the Environment Agency, there were 3.6 million hours of spills, compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022. | According to the Environment Agency, there were 3.6 million hours of spills, compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022. |
| Water UK, the industry body for sewerage companies, said it was "unacceptable", but that the record levels were due to heavy rain and increased data collection. | Water UK, the industry body for sewerage companies, said it was "unacceptable", but that the record levels were due to heavy rain and increased data collection. |
| However, the Environment Agency said that increased rainfall does not override water companies' responsibility "to manage storm overflows in line with legal requirements". | However, the Environment Agency said that increased rainfall does not override water companies' responsibility "to manage storm overflows in line with legal requirements". |
| Some environmental charities blame water companies for a failure to fix leaky pipes and other damaged infrastructure - and criticise the regulator for not forcing them to act. | Some environmental charities blame water companies for a failure to fix leaky pipes and other damaged infrastructure - and criticise the regulator for not forcing them to act. |
| Why is sewage released into the sea and rivers? | Why is sewage released into the sea and rivers? |
| Most of the UK has a combined sewerage system, meaning that both rainwater and wastewater - from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens - are carried in the same pipes. | Most of the UK has a combined sewerage system, meaning that both rainwater and wastewater - from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens - are carried in the same pipes. |
| Usually, all the waste is carried to a sewage treatment works. | Usually, all the waste is carried to a sewage treatment works. |
| But capacity can sometimes be exceeded during heavy rainfall, especially if dry ground cannot quickly absorb large quantities of water. | But capacity can sometimes be exceeded during heavy rainfall, especially if dry ground cannot quickly absorb large quantities of water. |
| This could lead to inundation of sewage works and potential flooding of homes, roads and open spaces. | This could lead to inundation of sewage works and potential flooding of homes, roads and open spaces. |
| The system is therefore designed to overflow occasionally, and discharge excess wastewater into the sea and rivers. | The system is therefore designed to overflow occasionally, and discharge excess wastewater into the sea and rivers. |
| This is known as combined sewer overflows , external(CSOs) and is allowed. | |
| However, there is evidence that some water companies also spill sewage when it is not raining. | However, there is evidence that some water companies also spill sewage when it is not raining. |
| Without rainwater to dilute the waste, this can lead to higher concentrations of sewage entering waterways - and is therefore illegal. | Without rainwater to dilute the waste, this can lead to higher concentrations of sewage entering waterways - and is therefore illegal. |
| A BBC investigation suggested there were 388 potential "dry spills" by Thames, Wessex and Southern Water in 2022. | A BBC investigation suggested there were 388 potential "dry spills" by Thames, Wessex and Southern Water in 2022. |
| The BBC also found that untreated sewage was illegally released into Lake Windermere in the Lake District in February 2024 after a fault. | |
| Water companies which are found to have breached the rules by spilling on dry days or failing to meet other conditions can be fined or prosecuted. | Water companies which are found to have breached the rules by spilling on dry days or failing to meet other conditions can be fined or prosecuted. |
| What is the government doing to tackle sewage discharges? | What is the government doing to tackle sewage discharges? |
| The government announced a plan to improve water quality, external in April 2023. | |
| As part of this, it said polluters could face unlimited fines in the future, which was confirmed in July 2023, external. | |
| The government says penalties from water companies will be re-invested into a new Water Restoration Fund which aims to improve water quality. | The government says penalties from water companies will be re-invested into a new Water Restoration Fund which aims to improve water quality. |
| But then-Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said there was "no way we can stop pollution overnight", given the major changes needed to the water system. | But then-Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said there was "no way we can stop pollution overnight", given the major changes needed to the water system. |
| Industry body Water UK has announced plans to almost double spending to pay for upgrades and cut sewage discharges. | Industry body Water UK has announced plans to almost double spending to pay for upgrades and cut sewage discharges. |
| It said this would be the "most ambitious modernisation of sewers since the Victorian era", but that customer bills would have to rise by £156 a year to cover the cost. | It said this would be the "most ambitious modernisation of sewers since the Victorian era", but that customer bills would have to rise by £156 a year to cover the cost. |
| What are the health risks of swimming in polluted water? | What are the health risks of swimming in polluted water? |
| Swimmers are warned to stay away when untreated sewage is discharged into the sea. | Swimmers are warned to stay away when untreated sewage is discharged into the sea. |
| The contaminated water could lead to serious illnesses. | The contaminated water could lead to serious illnesses. |
| Rowers taking part in the 2024 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race were told not to swallow any splashed water | |
| Rowers taking part in the 2024 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race were told not to swallow any splashed water | |
| Risks include gastrointestinal illnesses, or stomach bugs, which may cause diarrhoea and/or vomiting, as well as respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections, external. | |
| Rowers taking part in the 2024 Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge in London were warned not to enter the Thames after high levels of E. coli were found. | |
| Three members of the Oxford men's teamsaid they developed stomach bugs. | |
| How can I know if the sea near me is clean? | How can I know if the sea near me is clean? |
| Every week between May and September, the Environment Agency measures the water quality at hundreds of "bathing sites" across England, and in some places it issues daily pollution risk forecasts. | |
| You can search its website, external by location. | |
| There are similar websites, external where you can find out about beaches and bathing water in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. | |
| Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage has created an interactive map, external showing pollution risk warnings along the coast and rivers. | |
| How clean are UK waters overall? | How clean are UK waters overall? |
| Sewage spills have only been routinely monitored for a few years, external, so it is difficult to tell exactlyhow they have changed over time. | |
| However, overall water quality has been monitored for decades. This also accounts for other sources of pollution, such as agriculture. | However, overall water quality has been monitored for decades. This also accounts for other sources of pollution, such as agriculture. |
| In May 2023, the Environment Agency said that 16% of assessed surface waters in England achieved "good" ecological status, external, including: | |
| 14% of rivers and lakes | 14% of rivers and lakes |
| 14% of rivers and lakes | |
| 19% of estuaries | 19% of estuaries |
| 19% of estuaries | |
| 45% of coastal waters | 45% of coastal waters |
| 45% of coastal waters | |
| 93% of designated bathing waters | 93% of designated bathing waters |
| 93% of designated bathing waters | |
| Water quality is generally higher in other parts of the UK, external. | |
| In Scotland, around two-thirds of surface waters are classed as having "good" ecological status. | |
| In Wales the figure is 40%, and in Northern Ireland 31%. | |
| How clean are the UK's rivers and lakes? | How clean are the UK's rivers and lakes? |
| How clean are the UK's rivers and lakes? | |
| Has the UK's water quality got worse since Brexit? | Has the UK's water quality got worse since Brexit? |
| In August 2022, three French members of the European Parliament said they had asked European Commission to stop the UK polluting the Channel and the North Sea, external. | |
| They said that since Brexit, the UK had "chosen to lower its water quality standards". | |
| The UK is no longer bound by EU environmental legislation. But those laws did not directly regulate the frequency or number of sewage discharges. | The UK is no longer bound by EU environmental legislation. But those laws did not directly regulate the frequency or number of sewage discharges. |
| According to Friends of the Earth, the UK's Environment Act 2021 - which replaced the EU laws - brought "some useful changes" which included "efforts to stop companies filling our waterways with sewage", external. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sewage | Sewage |
| England | England |
| Thames Water | Thames Water |
| Environment Agency | Environment Agency |