Water companies illegally dumping sewage into UK waters: SAS

Water companies illegally dumping sewage into UK waters: SAS

A new report indicates that water companies in the country are making ‘dry spills’ – illegally discharging sewage into rivers and seas during dry weather.

An analysis by the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) states that in total, 146 dry spills were detected over the past year, from October 2021 to September 2022. Of these 146 spills, 95 of them (65 percent), were at locations where water quality is usually classified as “excellent”.

Amy Slack, head of campaigns and policy at SAS, said, “Over the last year, the UK public has made clear their disgust at what’s happening to our rivers and seas, and yet water companies continue to pollute at will.

“It’s alarming to uncover evidence of potentially illegal activity by water firms in the form of dry spills, which are not permitted under current regulations. CEOs are unashamedly profiteering off pollution.”