England’s rivers and seas were flooded with raw sewage for a staggering 3.61 million hours last year – a record high. While the number of spills was slightly down, each spill lasted longer on average, setting a new record for spill duration in 2024.
🌊 The Worst Offender: Salcombe Regis
The site with the longest spill lasted a mind-boggling 8,772 hours and 30 minutes. That’s nearly a full year of sewage being released in Salcombe Regis, a coastal village in East Devon. The sewage was discharged into the Salcombe Regis stream, which flows into the sea.
🚨 An Alarming Trend
The total duration of sewage spills in 2024 was up 0.2% from 2023, but it’s a massive 106% increase compared to the 1.7 million hours recorded in 2022. That’s a lot more raw sewage being dumped into our waterways.
💰 Fines, but No Immediate Action
While sewage dumping isn’t always illegal, it’s only supposed to happen in exceptional circumstances, like heavy rainfall overwhelming the sewer system. In August 2024, the regulator Ofwat slapped a record £168 million in fines on Thames, Yorkshire, and Northumbrian Water for their role in the issue. However, many argue that this isn’t enough, and the lack of enforcement is allowing the problem to spiral out of control.
🏛️ Criticism of Ofwat and Water Companies
Environment Secretary Steve Reed called the figures “disgraceful” and blamed years of underinvestment for the rise in sewage discharges. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey went even further, calling for a complete overhaul of Ofwat, describing the regulator as “completely inadequate” at protecting both customers and the environment.
Lena Swedlow, campaign manager for ‘Our Water Our Way’ at Compass, echoed similar concerns. She criticised Thames Water for increasing raw sewage discharges while trying to avoid fines and raising bills for the 16 million customers it serves.
🛑 A Call for Change
The public is rightly outraged, and campaigners are demanding tougher regulations and public ownership of water companies. According to Swedlow, “We can’t go on like this – we need public ownership.” Countries that operate with public input from workers, bill payers, and experts, like in the water sector, should be a model for the UK, she argues.
It’s clear: action is needed now to stop the endless sewage spills and protect our environment. The question is, will the government and regulators step up, or will this pollution problem continue to grow?
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