A pipe that spewed sewage into a Welsh river valley for more than 7,800 hours has topped a list of the worst offenders for waste discharge last year.
The pipe, owned by Welsh Water, dumped sewage for the equivalent of 325 days at the River Ogmore in Pontyrhyl, south Wales.
Second in the list was another Welsh Water pipe located just three miles away, again impacting the scenic Welsh river, while sewage was dumped for more than 6,896 hours – equivalent to 291 days – into the River Ellen from a wastewater treatment works in Cumbria.
Data published by the Environment Agency has revealed the worst offending water companies in Britain, The Express reports.
Of the top 20 pipes dumping the most sewage, ten are owned by United Utilities, which operates across the north west of England and the Lake District.
The pipe, owned by Welsh Water, dumped sewage for the equivalent of 325 days at the River Ogmore in Pontyrhyl, south Wales
The firm’s pipes at Plumbland, Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle and Ravenglass were all among the top ten, the data shows.
Other pipes included in the list are located at Dalderse wastewater treatment works in Falkirk, where there were 238 spills recorded – equivalent to more than 6,000 hours.
It comes as Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has warned that sewage dumping in rivers by water companies will take 25 years to fix.
Unveiling the government’s plan for water, she said anyone who thinks it can be fixed overnight is ‘dishonest’ and it will take until 2050 to put right.
Speaking at an event at the London Wetland Centre last week, she said that the ‘public have quite rightly been horrified’ by the scale of the problem.
She said: ‘The truth is that however much we all want to see this fixed yesterday, there is no way that we can stop pollution overnight.
‘If there were, I would do it just as quickly – and without hesitation. And anyone who tells you that they can – or get £56billion pounds of capital investment out the door and into improvements to infrastructure under twenty-five-years – is either detached from reality or being definitively dishonest with the public.’
Dr Coffey said that any more rapid action to fix the sewage scandal would push water bills up by around £800 by 2049.
Tim Farron, Lib Dem MP for Lake District constituency Westmorland and Lonsdale, described the figures as ‘a nationwide scandal’.
He said: ‘In my own area, I am outraged that the Lake District is not safe from the scourge of sewage dumping.’
‘This should be protected land and the lakes cannot become polluted by profiteering firms who couldn’t care less about the environment.’
Second in the list was another Welsh Water pipe located just three miles away, again impacting the scenic Welsh river
The scandal of sewage dumping in rivers by water companies will take 25 years to fix, the Environment Secretary has warned
Therese Coffey (pictured), unveiling the government’s plan for water, said anyone who thinks the issue can be fixed overnight is ‘dishonest’ and it will take until 2050 to put right
Tim Farron, Lib Dem MP for Lake District constituency Westmorland and Lonsdale, described the figures as ‘a nationwide scandal’
‘United Utilities are committing environmental crimes by pumping sewage into national parks and it has to stop now. Ministers need to get tough on these firms.’
Mr Farron added: ‘These new figures reveal the sewage crisis is now impacting every corner of the country.
‘This is truly a nationwide scandal. It is now or never to save our rivers, lakes and coastlines. The public will never forgive this Government if they fail to stop the polluting and profiteering water firms.’
Overall, raw sewage was spewed into Britain’s rivers more than 300,000 times across 2022.
Simon Parsons, of Scottish Water, said: ‘The quality of Scotland’s water environment is at its highest ever level, with 87 percent of watercourses achieving a high or good classification.’
Welsh Water said: ‘We take our responsibility for protecting the environment seriously but understand the real concerns there are regarding the operation of storm overflows, and can assure our customers that we are listening.’
A statement from United Utilities added: ‘We are committed to delivering a step change in performance. We know there is much more to do.’
Meanwhile, England’s dirtiest beaches were also revealed last week.England’s dirtiest beaches that swimmers should avoid have been revealed in time for the Easter break.
