Environment agency sleeping on the job?

young codger

Untreated sewage is being dumped illegally in rivers across the country on a regular basis, analysis shown to the BBC suggests. It found seven water companies in England and Wales discharged untreated sewage into rivers and the sea more than 3,000 times between 2017 and 2021.

The water industry admitted action was needed to address the problem. The fresh data comes a week after MPs warned of a "chemical cocktail" of pollutants tainting England's rivers. The Environmental Audit Committee said raw sewage and microplastics were putting health and nature at risk.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60040162

raisingirl

The EA are more focused on flood management than water quality

didyw

This makes interesting reading on how water companies have fared since Thatcher privatised water: https://www.ciwem.org/the-environment/how-should-water-and-environmental-management-firms-tap,-retain-and-promote-female-talent

young codger

Flooding has increased over recent years, and it is probably a continuous task for the department. Certainly we don't want to see raw sewage surfacing when rivers breach their banks.

I don't know what the actual reason is for the sewage discharge.  

Hostafan1

young codger said:

I don't know what the actual reason is for the sewage discharge.  

It's cheaper than processing it? and the punishments are no deterrent?
Thatcher sold off water so we've gone from a state owned monopoly to privatised local monopoly.
We have no choice who supplies our water.

Busy-Lizzie

I've seen quite a bit of this on TV, News, Breakfast etc. Some rivers look quite disgusting and the wildlife and fish are dying. I wonder what wild swimmers are doing, there has been quite a fashion for wild swimming.

young codger

I don't understand why the the environment agency are not clamping down on the water companies. If it was a farmer discharging sewage or even you or I, I think we would  be having our day in court.

Hostafan1

young codger said:

I don't understand why the the environment agency are not clamping down on the water companies. If it was a farmer discharging sewage or even you or I, I think we would would be having our day in court.

show me a so called " regulator " in any sector who does sufficiently carry out their role when it comes to punishing wrongdoers

Dovefromabove

My farmer brother is incensed at the way farmers are continually harrassed over river pollution in East Anglia, (he says that they are quite rightly monitored very strictly and the vast majority bend over backwards not to pollute), whereas the figures show that the huge majority of high pollution levels have been found just downstream from sewage outlets.  

Fairygirl

It's been getting coverage for ages. Whether anything will come of it is anyone's guess.
The great Feargal Sharkey has been on TV and radio frequently over the last six months or so- he's very knowledgeable and articulate on the subject. 
I'd vote for him any time. 
I believe our water is far better 'managed' up here, in many ways.  I hope so - my youngest does a bit of wild swimming. 
The 're wiggling' of falsely straightened rivers is a good example, for flood prevention, and to help salmon in particular. 

young codger

@Dovefromabove
Probably too many brown envelopes being passed around.