Sewage Discharges: National Park Water Quality ‘At Risk’

As is now common knowledge, the UK has a significant water pollution problem, with sewage discharges around the country having a devastating impact on water quality and the environment, putting local biodiversity, ecosystems and human health at risk.

The government is certainly not unaware of the situation and it is implementing plans to reduce sewage pollution by half come the end of the decade.

To this end, £104 billion is being invested to upgrade ageing infrastructure and develop new sewage treatment works, with funds collected through fines being used for local clean-up projects.

However, as welcome as this news undoubtedly is, it seems that even more urgent action is required to prevent sewage spills from happening, as these continue to take place at ever-increasing rates despite the significant public outcry on the matter and despite government pledges to address the situation.

Environment Agency figures published in July, for example, show that the number of serious incidents rose by 60 per cent in 2024, with Thames Water, Southern Water and Yorkshire Water responsible for the vast majority.

Sewage pollution in national parks.

While there may well be a certain level of acceptance over water quality issues in urban centres (although, of course, no water pollution anywhere is really acceptable), sewage pollution in national parks could be considered as something of a national disgrace.

However, it seems that this is now a growing problem, with research showing that sewage is entering rivers in these sites at twice the rate of those outside protected areas.

Carried out by the Campaign for National Parks (CNP) and the Rivers Trust, the study – seen by the Guardian – found that there was a total of 254,808 hours of sewage outflows seen in national parks in 2024, with the average spill duration for each of the 464 overflow sites logging in at 549 hours.

It was also found that more than 50 per cent of rivers in national parks failed to achieve good ecological status (which is required by law). This is not just down to sewage overflow use, but slurry and fertiliser runoff from agricultural sites, as well as the application of toxic pesticides.

The worst affected parks were revealed as Dartmoor, the South Downs, the Broads and Eryri (Snowdonia).

In Dartmoor, the average hours of sewage discharge per combined sewer overflow was three times that outside national parks.

Campaigners are now calling on the government to bring in stricter regulations now, rather than waiting until January, ensuring that all national park-based treatment works are upgraded to the same standards as those located in populated areas.

Chief executive of the CNP Dr Rose O’Neill said: “National park rivers are being poisoned, drained and neglected. If we can’t protect these, we can’t claim to be serious about ending the UK’s water crisis.

“This outrageous level of sewage reflects ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure that is ill designed and undersized to cope with actual resident and visitor populations.”

How can businesses improve water quality?

Businesses do not have to wait until the government carries out its proposed changes in order to do their part in protecting water resources and improving water quality.

There are many ways in which companies of all shapes and sizes can become better water stewards and improve their sustainability practices across the board.

For example, reducing the amount of pollution generated through operations can make a significant difference to the amount of chemicals and other pollutants entering the natural environment in the first place.

Strategies include the likes of retention ponds, onsite constructed wetlands, green roofs, permeable pavements and improved water filtration techniques so that pollutants are filtered before they enter water ecosystems.

You can also help by working with suppliers that value water in the same way that you do, with demonstrable commitment to water conservation and sustainable water management.

As a good first step, however, it can be beneficial to deepen your understanding of how and where you use water so you can determine the most effective ways to reduce your impact on both quality and quantity.

If you’d like to find out how best to go about achieving this, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team today.