12 Jun 2024
From the BBC More than one million tonnes of raw sewage is estimated to have been released from a pumping station into the North Sea in 2023. Northumbrian Water produced the estimate of how much sewage was released from its Whitburn site after a Freedom of Information (FoI) request from South Tyneside resident Steve Lavelle. […]
14 May 2024
A record number of swimming spots in England have been designated as bathing sites, the UK government has confirmed. There has been widespread coverage, including in BBC, ITV, The Guardian, Independent and Sky, of the government’s announcement that 27 new bathing water sites will be designated across England. The decision follows a public consultation last year. The Environment Agency […]
01 May 2024
This 3-minute piece on Channel 4 News Is critical of the Environment Agency testing regime for bathing waters, because some test results are discounted. Blurb Earlier this year, an investigation by this programme led to calls for a change to the system that’s meant to warn swimmers in England about pollution linked to sewage. We […]
24 Apr 2024
A Guardian investigation has spoken to whistleblowers who say UK water companies are knowingly failing to treat legally required amounts of sewage, and that some treatment works are manipulating wastewater systems to divert raw sewage away from the works and into rivers and seas. It is well known that water companies are dumping large volumes […]
03 Apr 2024
Following last week’s publication of storm overflow spill data for 2023, covered in last week’s news, the sewage has really been hitting the fan The BBC highlighted that sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled last year. According to the Environment Agency there were 3.6 million hours of spills […]
03 Apr 2024
According to Labour Party analysis of NHS hospital admissions statistics, waterborne diseases such as dysentery and Weil’s disease have risen by 60% since 2010 in England. Over the last year, 122 people were diagnosed with leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), double the number in 2010. The disease, which can lead to liver damage and kidney failure, is […]
03 Apr 2024
Rising political and public scrutiny demands better sewage monitoring. We need more accurate data alongside stricter controls, according to Peter Matthews and Alastair Chisholm, who propose improvements building on the Worshipful Company of Water Conservator’s recommendations. Demand for more stringent sewage effluent monitoring and enforcement has been growing for some time. The Environment Agency (EA) […]
13 Mar 2024
The government has announced that fast-tracked investment of £180m over the next 12 months is expected to prevent more than 8,000 sewage spills polluting English waterways. According to Defra, it follows the Secretary of State directing water and sewage companies last December to measurably reduce sewage spills over the next year by accelerating commitments and delivering new […]
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