Millions Of Hours Of Sewage Spills Put Millions At Risk
In a new report released on Thursday, the UK’s Environment Agency (EA) revealed a staggering figure: water companies released raw sewage into England’s waterways for 3.61 million hours in 2024. While some spilling is legal, scientists are raising alarms about the potential danger to the public.
“These figures are disgraceful and are a stark reminder of how years of underinvestment have led to water companies discharging unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes, and seas,” said Environment Secretary Steve Reed, per BBC News.
Due to the UK’s combined sewer system, both rainwater and wastewater are carried in the same pipes. Wastewater is usually treated at a sewage treatment works, but during heavy rainfall, the sewage works are at risk of being inundated. To prevent backups to the system, which could allow sewage into homes and streets, the excess flow goes straight into waterways.
The EA maintains that it “expect[s] water companies to do what customers pay it to do: ensure their existing assets are maintained and operating properly.” But without proper investment, water utilities will continue to struggle against sewer overflows and spilling.
Ewan McGaughey, Professor of Law at Kings College London, told BBC: “The water companies have paid over £85bn out to shareholders since privatisation and that means they haven't been able to put the money into infrastructure.”
The report further highlights the complex debate over public versus private ownership of water utilities. But both proponents and opponents can agree that spilling raw sewage into waterways puts the public at great risk for exposure to dangerous bacteria, such as salmonella and E.coli.
The UK isn’t the only place facing the difficulties of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). In the U.S., there are approximately 700 communities that have combined sewer systems and are familiar with the toil of CSOs.
Water UK has committed to a program of investment worth £104bn over the next five years. Will this new investment be enough to curb the crisis? Without immediate and sustained action, England’s waterways — and the health of those who rely on them — will continue to suffer.