Record 3.6m hours of sewage dumped in 2024

Commenting on the latest Environment Agency data for sewage spills released today, Friends of the Earth's senior sustainability analyst, Paul De Zylva, said:

"Despite politicians' warm words, these figures show we're nowhere near slowing the level of sewage entering our rivers and seas, putting wildlife and our health at serious risk.

"We can only imagine how bad sewage pollution was before the use of real-time monitoring, which was only introduced in 2023. Water customers – who are about to be hit with even higher water bills – will wonder what happened to their money which should have been used to prevent pollution long before now.

"We need urgent, bold action by the government, not more anti-regulation rhetoric from ministers, to hold these and other serial polluters to account."

ENDS