The Issue with Sewage

by Isobel F

Last week the BBC published an article revealing the newest national statistics on sewage spills, and the reality is shocking.

The environment agency published their data from 2023 showing that there was a 54% increase in the number of spills on the 2022 total. However it is only illegal to spill sewage during dry times, when it is preventative of a flood it is legal. A reason to explain this may be that 2023 was the 6th wettest year since the records began in 1836. In total there were 464,056 spills in 2023. There were 3.6 million hours of spills up from 1.75 million in the previous year.

Sewage is released into the sea and rivers through storm overflow ducts. Legally it can be done during a storm, but in many cases it is done illegally when it is not overflowing. The four worst Water companies are Thames Water, Southern Water, SES Water and South East Water. 

Flood spills have many negative effects on the environment and people. They can create massive algae blooms that are dangerous to humans, it causes E.Coli. As well as this the water often proves toxic to sea life.

What is being done to stop it? Water companies have fast tracked £180 million to be invested in the next 12 months. Since 2015 over £150 million worth of fines have been secured on water companies.  By the end of the decade they plan to invest £10 billion to stop 150,000 sewage spills.