Northumbrian Water Ordered to Release Sewage Discharge Data After Tribunal Ruling

Northumbrian Water has been ordered by an appeal tribunal to release data on hundreds of thousands of tonnes of raw sewage discharges into the North Sea from its Whitburn pumping station.

The data was requested by campaigner Steve Lavelle under freedom of information and environmental information regulations. Lavelle has been investigating the scale of raw sewage discharges to show that pollution is still occurring many years after a 2012 European Court of Justice ruling that the UK was in breach of its legal obligations to treat wastewater.

Why this matters: The release of this data highlights the ongoing issue of sewage pollution in the UK, which has significant implications for public health and the environment. The release of this data highlights the ongoing issue of sewage pollution in the UK, which has significant implications for public health and the environment. The country's continued struggles with inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure will only intensify pressure on water companies to invest in necessary upgrades, affecting the quality of life for millions of people.

The data reveals a staggering amount of untreated sewage being discharged from the Whitburn Steel pumping station. In 2019, more than 760,000 tonnes of raw sewage was released into the North Sea, despite only slightly above average rainfall that year. The discharges increased to over 460,000 tonnes in 2020 and reached a record high of 821,088 tonnes in 2021. When Lavelle requested the 2022 data, Northumbrian Water refused, citing ongoing investigations by Ofwat and the Environment Agency into suspected illegal sewage dumping.

The Information Commissioner's Office initially supported Northumbrian Water's refusal to release the 2022 data. However, Lavelle appealed to the first-tier tribunal, which ruled in his favor and ordered the company to provide the requested information.

"We need this information to show this pollution is still going on," Lavelle stated. "We want the data to feed into our neighbourhood plan so that we can provide the details about the capacity of sewage treatment in the area when any future development is proposed."

Lavelle expressed frustration with Northumbrian Water's reluctance to share the data, saying, "It has been like pulling teeth. They are more intent on closing down my requests for information than being transparent and providing the information which is in the public interest." Northumbrian Water responded with a statement asserting their commitment to protecting coasts, rivers, and watercourses, and highlighted their proactive publication of industry-leading pledges to generate further improvements.

The Environment Agency permit for the Whitburn plant states that raw sewage discharges must only take place during intense rainfall or snowmelt. However, the data obtained by Lavelle shows that sewage dumping has occurred outside of these permitted periods. The pollution has contributed to the deterioration of water quality in the North Sea at Marsden, where there is a designated bathing beach, and also the beaches and rock pools at Whitburn.

The release of this data and the tribunal's ruling in favor of Lavelle's request for information highlight the growing public concern and demand for transparency regarding the environmental impact of sewage discharges. The UK continues to struggle with the legacy of inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, the pressure on water companies to address this issue and invest in necessary upgrades is likely to intensify. Northumbrian Water is one of seven water companies that have published near-real-time maps of their sewage discharges from combined sewer overflows, as required under the Environment Act.

Key Takeaways

• Northumbrian Water ordered to release raw sewage discharge data from Whitburn pumping station.
• Over 760,000 tonnes of raw sewage discharged into North Sea in 2019, increasing to 821,088 tonnes in 2021.
• Data reveals sewage dumping outside permitted periods, affecting water quality in North Sea and beaches.
• Tribunal rules in favor of campaigner Steve Lavelle, ordering Northumbrian Water to release 2022 data.
• Pressure on water companies to invest in wastewater treatment infrastructure upgrades intensifies.