Why is sewage released into rivers and the sea?

Sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023. 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 record levels were due to heavy rain and increased data collection.Most of the UK has a combined sewerage system, meaning rainwater and wastewater are carried in the same pipes.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.

The government announced a plan to improve water quality in April 2023. As part of this, it said polluters could face unlimited fines in the future. But then-Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said there was “no way we can stop pollution overnight. Swimmers warned to stay away when untreated sewage is discharged into the sea.

The contaminated water could lead to serious illnesses. Environment Agency measures the water quality at several sites across England. Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage has created an interactive map showing pollution risk warnings along the coast and rivers. 16% of surface waters in England achieved “good”” ecological status.

This includes: 14% of rivers and lakes, 19% of estuaries, 45% of coastal waters and 93% of designated bathing waters. Water quality is generally higher in other parts of the UK, such as Scotland. The UK is no longer bound by EU environmental legislation. But those laws did not directly regulate the frequency or number of sewage discharges.

Friends of the Earth said the UK had chosen to lower its water quality standards. They said the Environment Act 2021 brought some useful changes.