Latest news with #WaterUK
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
How much sewage is spilled in rivers, lakes and the sea near you?
Water companies spilled raw sewage for a record time of 3.61m hours into sea and rivers in England in 2024, according to data from the Environment allow a limited discharge of sewage in periods of excess rain, but environmental groups remain concerned that the levels post a threat to wildlife and a health risk to swimmers. How much sewage is released into the seas and rivers in England? Sewage spills into England's lakes, rivers and seas by water companies increased slightly in 2024 to 3.614 million hours up from 3.606 million hours in 2023. However, the Environment Agency said that the total number of spills were down - meaning that on average spills in 2024 were longer in UK, the industry body for sewerage companies, has previously said spills are "unacceptable", but that it had a plan "to end water sewage flowing into all waterways" which involved significant infrastructure July data from the Environment Agency also showed that pollution incidents by water companies, which can result from spilled sewage and other contaminants, hit record levels. Of these there were 75 serious incidents - where there is threat to aquatic and human health - and Thames Water was responsible for 33 of data for the devolved nations is released separately. Northern Ireland does not currently monitor real-time spills and although Scotland has made efforts to increase monitoring, it only collects data from 27% of spill sites. In Wales, hours of spills was down in 2024 by 11%, but pollution incidents hit a ten-year high. Why is sewage released into the sea and rivers? Most of the UK has a combined sewerage system, meaning that both rainwater and wastewater - from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens - are carried in the same is usually sent to a sewage treatment capacity can sometimes be exceeded during heavy rainfall, especially if dry ground cannot quickly absorb large quantities of could lead to inundation of sewage works and potential flooding of homes, roads and open system is therefore designed to overflow occasionally, and discharge excess wastewater into the sea and rivers from combined sewer overflows (CSOs). What is a dry spill and when do they occur? According to industry regulator Ofwat, some water companies have been "routinely releasing sewage" outside times of heavy downpours, in breach of their permits - known as dry spilling. It has said this is a result of companies failing to manage their wastewater treatment plants leading to sewage overflowing into rivers and lakes before being year, the BBC uncovered 6,000 potential dry spills by England's water companies in if it is raining, water company permits also require them to treat a minimum amount of sewage before releasing dumped illegally in Windermere over three years What is being done to tackle sewage discharges? Ageing infrastructure has been identified by both the industry, government and campaigners as one of the main reasons for sewage the end of last year Ofwat agreed that water companies in England and Wales would spend a total £104bn over the next five years to make upgrades as well as secure water supplies - £20bn of that would go specifically to tackling sewage UK, the industry body, said it would be the "most ambitious modernisation of sewers since the Victorian era".But there has been criticism from environmental campaigners that customers' bills have had to rise significantly to help pay for a share of these changes, whilst water companies continue to pay out dividends to bills: How much will I have to pay?Since Labour came into government in Summer 2024 it has also announced a number of new policies:Restricting water company bonusesLaunch of an Independent Water Commission chaired by former deputy Bank of England governor Sir Jon CunliffeBanning wet wipes containing plastic - to reduce blockages What are the health risks of swimming in polluted water? In May 2024, a team of the UK's top engineers and scientists warned of the growing public health risk from human faeces in the country's rivers, and called for more regular presence of faeces can expose people to bacteria such as salmonella and which cause diarrhoea and vomiting, or viruses like hepatitis A which can lead to liver infection. How can I check if the sea near me is clean? Every week between May and September, the Environment Agency measures the water quality at bathing sites across England, and in some places it issues daily pollution risk forecasts. It is also proposing to extend the bathing season which would provide year round can search its website by location. There are similar websites where you can find out about beaches and bathing water in Scotland, Wales or Northern at the end of last year Water UK - the industry body - launched the National Storm Overflow Hub where almost real-time discharges can be seen across all of England's overflow points. But this does not contain data on the volume of sewage discharge or the presence of organisms carrying faecal-oral disease in the water. How clean are UK waters overall? Sewage spills have only been routinely monitored for a few years, so it is difficult to tell exactly how they have changed over overall water quality has been monitored for decades. This also accounts for other sources of pollution, such as May 2023, the Environment Agency said that 16% of assessed surface waters in England achieved "good" ecological status, including:14% of rivers and lakes19% of estuaries45% of coastal waters93% of designated bathing watersWater quality is generally higher in other parts of the Scotland, around two-thirds of surface waters are classed as having "good" ecological Wales the figure is 40%, and in Northern Ireland 31%.
Scotsman
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
SNP accused of 'washing hands' of fatbergs crisis clogging up sewers and costing £20,000 a day
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The SNP have been accused of 'washing their hands' of responsibility for more than 530 Scottish fatbergs containing wet wipes every week - costing water bosses around £20,000 a day. Up to £7.5 million is being spent to clear blockages each year, with almost 35,000 obstructions removed in 2024, new figures have revealed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fatbergs are costing Scottish Water £7m a year SNP ministers have vowed to ban wet wipes, while 'enforcement activities or penalties' could be handed out after it emerged around 80 per cent of the fatbergs were caused by wet wipes, sanitary products, fats, oils, and grease being dumped in the sewers. Fine to Flush certification for zero-plastic products on UK supermarket shelves came to an end in March last year after trade body, Water UK, cancelled the scheme because of 'consumer confusion' and continuing problems with sewer blockages. READ MORE: The massive penalties public bodies and water companies would face for ecocide in Scotland But products bearing the mark are still on sale in Scotland and available online through the likes of Amazon. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden has urged the SNP Government to take a tougher stance on pollution that Scottish Water says costs the public £7.5m a year. The Scottish Government said it supported Scottish Water's 'Nature Calls' campaign to promote binning, not flushing. Now, Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said she was 'considering future options in this area'. Ms Martin said her Government had 'supported various public awareness campaigns run by environmental NGOs, including the Marine Conservation Society'. SNP Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin | Andrew Milligan/PA Wire She said: 'The Scottish Government supported the work of Water UK in developing and promoting the Fine to Flush certification while this scheme was in operation. The labelling of products, including that of sanitary items such as wet wipes, remains a reserved issue. We are considering future options in this area. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There are no regulations in Scotland relating to the 'flushability' of wet wipes, therefore there can be no associated enforcement activities or penalties imposed upon companies. 'Our forthcoming regulations to restrict market access to wet wipes containing plastic are centred on the material content of the product, and these regulations will be enforceable if wet wipes containing plastic are sold or supplied outwith the exemptions for medical or industrial uses.' Mr Golden said: 'In Scotland and the rest of the UK, the message needs to be simple — absolutely all wet wipes should be binned. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Conservative MSP Maurice Golden | Scottish Parliament TV 'The SNP are adept at trying to blame Westminster when it suits them politically. Things are only reserved when they are difficult to do. This 'considering future options' rhetoric is just SNP jargon for washing their hands of it. 'Even though Fine to Flush was well-meaning, these products are contributing to blocked sewers, environmental damage on our beaches, and flooding problems. 'The problem of fatbergs and dirty beaches is happening on the SNP's watch and they need to get on top of this with Scottish Water.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: 'We have been calling for many years on customers to bin all wipes, and not flush them down toilets, to help protect the environment. 'Our Nature Calls campaign led the way in demanding a ban on wet wipes made with plastic and we welcomed an announcement last year that the UK would ban wet wipes containing plastic, with this becoming effective in Scotland by mid-2026. 'Wet wipes containing plastic are a major cause of sewer blockages and marine litter. Every year, our teams attend over 36,000 blockages in drains and sewers, which could cause flooding in homes and neighbourhoods, pollute rivers, burns and coastal waters.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Wolverhampton university tackles water leakage with AI satellites
University researchers in Wolverhampton have been awarded £1.3m to use AI-driven satellite technology to help solve the costly and time-consuming process of detecting water South Staffs Water, the team will build, launch and operate a fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) micro satellites, which can find leaks "with unprecedented efficiency and precision".Using AI techniques with high-resolution satellite imagery, researchers said they want to deliver faster, more accurate and cost-effective monitoring of costs are projected to be at least 10 times lower than current satellite-based methods, the university said. Water loss is a persistent issue for the UK industry, with an estimated 19% of the supply lost before it reaches consumers, according to Water UK, costing £3.2bn annually across the utilities university said traditional detection methods, such as acoustic monitoring and tracer gas detection, are labour-intensive and inefficient, typically locating fewer than one leak per day per crew and costing between £250 and £2,000 per inspection. Other satellite-based technologies have improved detection rates, but high operational costs and image refresh rates of between seven and 14 days still limit their the £1.3m funding from water regulation service Ofwat's Innovation Fund, the team said they can create high-frequency imaging and have fresh data every six hours with sharper resolution to pinpoint AI-powered detection then reduces costs and enables rapid deployment beyond the UK, the university Mohammad Patwary, director of the university's digital innovation and solution centre (DISC) and project lead, said: "This Ofwat initiated opportunity marks a major innovation leap for the UK, enhancing the water industry's efficiency and infrastructure longevity, while creating a platform for critical sectors, like energy, transport, and telecom, and positioning the UK as a leader in LEO satellite-driven innovation and productivity."The team will use six satellites as part of the project called Space Eye and liaise with several other water firms in the UK. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government says water company investigations have increased
The government says it has overseen a large increase in criminal investigations into water companies for alleged breaches of environmental law. It said in a statement the Environment Agency was looking at dozens of alleged offences which included releasing excessive pollution and not carrying out adequate water quality monitoring. The government said the regulator had launched 81 criminal probes since last July's election after hiring 400 more staff for the purpose and that it had initiated proceedings against seven companies. Water UK, which represents water companies, said in a statement that firms should be investigated and held to account when necessary. The announcement comes amid public anger over pollution in rivers and seas. The number of pollution incidents recorded by water companies in England is at a 10-year high, according to data released by campaigners last month. The increase in Environment Agency inspectors is partly due to a recruitment drive from the previous Conservative government. In February 2024 the Conservatives said they planned to quadruple water inspections and hire an additional 500 staff for inspections and enforcement. None of the 81 investigations have so far led to convictions, which often take years to work their way through the court systems. But the government said they could lead to water companies being fined hundreds of millions of pounds. "This Labour Government is cleaning up the foul mess the Tories left behind with a record number of criminal investigations into law-breaking water companies - which could see bosses behind bars," said Environment Secretary Steve Reed. The Conservative Party defended its record in response, with a spokesman saying that while it was in government it had begun the process of reforming water and sewage systems and taken action to ban bonuses for bosses of water companies that committed criminal breaches. "The Labour Government made big promises on water, and we will continue to hold them to account to ensure they continue the work of the previous Conservative Government to improve our water and sewage systems for billpayers," the spokesman said. "It's good to see the Government finally taking water pollution seriously," said CEO of campaigners River Action, James Wallace. But he pointed out that water bosses could only serve jail time for obstructing investigations, not for pollution itself. "Jail time for water bosses remains highly unlikely," he said. "The law only applies to cover-ups — and there's no need to hide what's already happening in plain sight, week in, week out." Southern Water was hit with a record £126m punishment in 2019 for spills of wastewater into the environment from its sewage plants and for deliberately misreporting its performance. Greenpeace UK head of politics Ami McCarthy said: "Water firms have got away with flouting rules and pumping sewage into our rivers for far too long, so it's good to see ministers finally throwing the book at these serial polluters." She also urged the government to ensure that consumers did not foot the bill of any fines issued to water companies. "It is right that water companies are investigated and held to account when things go wrong," Water UK said in a statement. "Almost 99% of sewage and water treatment works meet their [pollution limit] permits and we are focused on getting to 100%."
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Government says water company investigations have increased
The government says it has overseen a large increase in criminal investigations into water companies for alleged breaches of environmental said in a statement the Environment Agency was looking at dozens of alleged offences which included releasing excessive pollution and not carrying out adequate water quality government said the regulator had launched 81 criminal probes since last July's election after hiring 400 more staff for the purpose and that it had initiated proceedings against seven UK, which represents water companies, said in a statement that firms should be investigated and held to account when necessary. The announcement comes amid public anger over pollution in rivers and seas. The number of pollution incidents recorded by water companies in England is at a 10-year high, according to data released by campaigners last increase in Environment Agency inspectors is partly due to a recruitment drive from the previous Conservative government. In February 2024 the Conservatives said they planned to quadruple water inspections and hire an additional 500 staff for inspections and of the 81 investigations have so far led to convictions, which often take years to work their way through the court systems. But the government said they could lead to water companies being fined hundreds of millions of pounds."This Labour Government is cleaning up the foul mess the Tories left behind with a record number of criminal investigations into law-breaking water companies - which could see bosses behind bars," said Environment Secretary Steve Conservative Party defended its record in response, with a spokesman saying that while it was in government it had begun the process of reforming water and sewage systems and taken action to ban bonuses for bosses of water companies that committed criminal breaches."The Labour Government made big promises on water, and we will continue to hold them to account to ensure they continue the work of the previous Conservative Government to improve our water and sewage systems for billpayers," the spokesman said."It's good to see the Government finally taking water pollution seriously," said CEO of campaigners River Action, James he pointed out that water bosses could only serve jail time for obstructing investigations, not for pollution itself."Jail time for water bosses remains highly unlikely," he said. "The law only applies to cover-ups — and there's no need to hide what's already happening in plain sight, week in, week out."Southern Water was hit with a record £126m punishment in 2019 for spills of wastewater into the environment from its sewage plants and for deliberately misreporting its UK head of politics Ami McCarthy said: "Water firms have got away with flouting rules and pumping sewage into our rivers for far too long, so it's good to see ministers finally throwing the book at these serial polluters."She also urged the government to ensure that consumers did not foot the bill of any fines issued to water companies."It is right that water companies are investigated and held to account when things go wrong," Water UK said in a statement. "Almost 99% of sewage and water treatment works meet their [pollution limit] permits and we are focused on getting to 100%."
