Water companies slammed as sewage leaks into bathing areas during heatwave

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleDuring last week's heatwave, environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage documented 2,856 hours of sewage released into UK waters, with 99 hours affecting designated bathing areas. Thames Water was responsible for the most sewage discharges in England, spilling for 377 hours, while Southern Water recorded the highest number of discharges into bathing waters, totalling 49 hours. These sewage releases, occurring between 22 and 26 June, were attributed to heavy thunderstorms that overwhelmed the UK's aging pipe network, allowing water companies to legally discharge untreated sewage. The charity's monitoring service issued 46 sewage alerts from 43 locations, and 60 cases of sickness from 39 different sites were reported, highlighting significant health risks from contaminated water. Campaigners are demanding urgent action, including special administration for failing water companies, while the government and water industry have outlined plans for substantial investment and regulatory reforms to tackle sewage pollution. In fullSewage spills into lakes and swimming ponds as Britons dash to cold water during heatwaveMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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