Water companies covering England have released raw sewage for a total of more than 2.7 million hours. compared to 3.1 million hours in 2020, according to data released by the Environment Agency (EA) on Thursday. The figures came as the government announced what it said was the largest sewer overhaul since the 1990s to address the problem of leaks. The government said the Storm Overflow Disposal Reduction Plan was a gradual change in the way water companies handled the number of raw sewage discharges, which the government and the public have made clear are unacceptable. The plan aims to eliminate 40% of raw river overflow by 2040. Raw wastewater and rainwater should only be discharged into rivers and coastal waters through storm overflow pipes in extreme weather conditions to relieve the pressure. sewer system. However, data over the last three years have shown that water companies regularly use overflows to dispose of untreated wastewater instead of treating it. Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “We are the first government to express our hope that water companies need to take action to significantly reduce storm surges. “Today, we set specific goals to ensure that these storm surges are used only in exceptional circumstances – in compliance with our environmental law and based on broader water quality work.” However, critics said the plan, which was launched for consultation on Thursday, was not urgent. Mark Lloyd, CEO of the Rivers Trust, said: “I’m disappointed that this plan lacks the urgency we so desperately need. This project will need strong input from civil society and NGOs such as the Rivers Trust if it is to overcome the twinned climate and natural crises we are currently facing. “We want to have rivers where people and wildlife can thrive, but the target schedules in the plan are too late – I want to see that in my life!” Data released by EA on Thursday showed that 10 water utilities covering England were releasing raw sewage on waterways for hundreds of thousands of hours in 2021. , or 89%. More than 60 discharges per year from overflows are considered very high and should trigger research. On average, 14% of discharges from the 10 water companies exceeded this limit. Chart Water companies in England are being investigated by regulator Ofwat and EA after admitting they may have illegally discharged raw sewage into rivers and waterways. The investigation will include more than 2,200 wastewater treatment projects, with any company found to be violating its legal licenses subject to enforcement actions, including fines or prosecutions. Fines can be up to 10% of the annual turnover for civil cases or unlimited in criminal proceedings. Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said the government’s plan did not address the issue quickly enough. “The level of public outrage over the sewage pollution scandal continues to rise day by day, but we are seeing a consultation today that provides us with goals and timelines decades away,” he said. “The water industry must certainly be forced to act faster, with a greater urgency to deal with the sad history of pollution that is contributing to the destruction of our rivers and coasts. This industry has been in operation for over 30 years. we have to make sure that they do not have the opportunity to put their profits on the planet for the next 30 “. Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “These data show that once again our waterways are being drowned by sewage pollution. “This must change, both for our health and for the plants and animals that are struggling to survive in our polluted waters.” Benwell said that if the government was serious about cleaning up the rivers “we need a tough deadline set by law to improve our overall water quality and strong enforcement measures. “We need to stop the most harmful pollution by 2030 and move on faster, to stop the flow of water pollution to humans and wildlife.”
