BBC: Local elections 2023 - How sewage topped the political agenda
'Make polluters pay'
“Two weeks before voters in parts of England and in Northern Ireland go to the polls to choose new councillors, those in office are swimming against a tide of public anger at water companies dumping untreated, raw sewage.
Most waste water travels to sewage works to be treated but under "exceptional circumstances", companies are allowed to pump the excess into the sea and rivers to prevent homes and roads being flooded with it.
However, EA figures show this is not occasional. Last year, sewage was pumped into England's waterways for a total of 1.75 million hours - 825 times a day on average.
This was 19% down on 2021, because of drier weather rather than water firms' actions, according to the agency.”
“Labour's shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon has accused the Conservatives of allowing England's communities to be treated as "open sewers" and has called for automatic fines and a target to end 90% of sewage discharges by 2030.
The Conservatives say sewage is dumped more frequently in Wales where Labour is in power, while the UK government has introduced widespread monitoring and tougher regulations.
Meanwhile the proportion of bathing waters assessed as excellent has risen from 51% in 2010 to 72%, ministers add.”
