Marine charity hits out over water pollution

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has criticised UK water companies after discovering the true extent of sewage pollution throughout England and Wales.

Members of the organisation have received new information relating to the number of untreated sewage discharges across Britain.

It suggested there are 31,000 places where raw sewage is entering waterways - far higher than the original estimate of 22,000.

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and emergency overflows (EOs) - which are used when waste levels become too great due to heavy rainfall - are thought to be behind the majority of these cases.

Pollution programme manager at the MCS Dr Robert Keirle said EOs and CSOs are being misused.

"They should not be used for routine discharge of excess sewage, as an alternative to increasing the capacity of sewers to cope with a growing population," he commented.

Despite these statistics, recent analysis of British public bathing areas showed that 98 per cent met EU water quality standards.

Posted by Joseph Hutton