21
submitted 5 months ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

More than 4m hours of raw sewage discharges poured into rivers and seas last year, a 129% increase on the previous 12 months, new figures are expected to reveal on Wednesday.

Total discharges from the 14,000 storm overflows owned by English water companies that release untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters increased by 59% to 477,972, making 2023 the worst year for sewage spills, according to an early estimate of the Environment Agency figures seen by the Guardian.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 2 points 5 months ago

Was it just storm overflows or was it poo water?

[-] GreyShuck@feddit.uk 4 points 5 months ago

From the article:

Total discharges from the 14,000 storm overflows owned by English water companies that release untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters increased by 59% to 477,972

Storm overflows are supposed to be used only in extreme weather but for many years they have been used routinely, discharging raw sewage even on dry days in some cases.

this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2024
21 points (86.2% liked)

UK Nature and Environment

366 readers
60 users here now

General Instance Rules:

Community Specific Rules:

Note: Our temporary logo is from The Wildlife Trusts. We are not officially associated with them.

Our summer banner is a shot of Coombe Hill, Buckinghamshire by YungOnions.

founded 11 months ago
MODERATORS