The government says water companies could face unlimited fines for discharging raw sewage into waterways.
Water companies could face unlimited fines for releasing raw sewage into rivers and seas in England, under the government's new plan.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 pipes.But the Environment Agency , which covers England, says capacity can sometimes be exceeded during heavy rainfall, especially when dry ground is unable to quickly absorb water.
This could lead to inundation of sewage works and potential flooding of homes, roads and open spaces. For this reason, the system is designed to overflow occasionally and discharge excess wastewater into the sea and rivers.The EA requires water companies to monitor the overflows, and they can be investigated and fined if they fail to meet certain requirements.
The government says it plans to change laws so that the EA can issue unlimited penalties for sewage dumpingData shows the use of overflows is not occasional, as it is meant to be.on average 825 times per dayThis is down 19% on the 2021 figures, because of drier weather rather than water companies' action, according to the EA.
In 2022, Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales, launched cases against six water companies over discharging sewage at times when this should not have happened.The Environment Agency monitors pollution across England. It says that between May and September, "weekly assessments measure current water quality, and at a number of sites daily pollution risk forecasts are issued".
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