In England, sewage water is increasingly ending up in the sea and rivers. Hush money trial: judge muzzles Donald Trump

The pollution of Britain’s rivers and coastal waters with human waste continues to make headlines. Many beaches are then often no longer usable for swimmers. Now there are current figures on the problem.

Faeces, wet wipes and hygiene products: Untreated sewage is increasingly polluting water bodies in England. As the British environmental authority Environment Agency announced on Wednesday, discharges of untreated sewage into the sea and rivers were recorded more frequently than ever before in most of Britain in 2023. According to this data, untreated wastewater flowed into open water for 3.6 million hours last year. This is more than double compared to the previous year, when there were approximately 1.75 million hours.

The so-called combined sewer overflow is actually seen as an emergency measure. This becomes necessary if the sewer system overflows due to heavy rainfall and the wastewater threatens to flow back through the pipes to houses and streets. In Great Britain there is only one sewerage system for rainwater and wastewater. The Environment Agency said the sharp increase was partly due to heavy rainfall last year. In addition, all overflow points are now equipped with a measuring device. The numbers are therefore only comparable to a limited extent. However, this does not absolve water suppliers of their obligation to comply with the law, the agency warned.

In recent years, repeated cases of untreated wastewater being released into the environment without prior heavy rainfall have come to light. This is especially bad because the wastewater is then not diluted by rainwater and can cause serious damage to animals and plants – for example because it promotes the growth of algae, which removes oxygen from the water.

Environmental organizations accuse water companies of not investing in infrastructure and instead paying high dividends to their shareholders. (rbu/sda/dpa)