Call For Water Firms To Come Clean On Sewage Discharges Into Rivers

Harborough District Council is demanding water companies are made to come clean about the amount of sewage being dumped into rivers.

Official figures show it flowed into waterways across Harborough for over 2,700 hours last year, with 479 separate incidents, although the exact amount of sewage involved is not revealed.

In Market Harborough, sewage discharged into the River Welland for 87 hours in 2022, with 31 incidents.

The River Welland during high water level in Welland Park

The controversial practice to discharge sewage into waterways is permitted in the UK during wet weather, to prevent pipe systems from backing up, although there are calls for water companies to take steps to keep discharges to a minimum.

A Motion put forward by councillor Peter James calling for letters to be sent to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Secretary of State responsible, demanding they order the full disclosure of figures and the environmental impact, was backed by councillors at a meeting this week.

Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of the Council, will write them and spoke to HFM: