{"id":18098,"date":"2022-10-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=18098"},"modified":"2022-11-02T12:49:33","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T11:49:33","slug":"sewage-why-is-raw-waste-pumped-into-our-seas-and-can-we-fixit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/2022\/10\/11\/sewage-why-is-raw-waste-pumped-into-our-seas-and-can-we-fixit\/","title":{"rendered":"Sewage: Why is raw waste pumped into our seas and can we fixit?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEWAGE:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n

WHY IS RAW WASTE PUMPED INTO OUR SEAS AND CAN WE FIX IT?<\/h3>\n\n

The UK\u2019s ageing infrastructure is struggling to cope with increased rainfall and a growing population, and this means sewage is being discharged into our seas and rivers. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water\u2026 <\/p>\n\n

R<\/span>ecent months have seen fresh concerns over a wave of discharges of untreated raw sewage in the UK. In early September, the Safer Seas and Rivers Service, which is run by the charity Surfers Against Sewage, issued pollution warnings for more than 100 beaches. <\/p>\n\n

Rising awareness of these events has led to public anger about the situation. But why is this happening now, and what can be done about it? <\/p>\n\n

Unlike some other countries, which have split drainage systems for rainfall and sewage, the UK has a combined system that accepts both. It\u2019s managed by water and sewage companies, who, if all is well, biologically treat the sewage before discharging it into the environment. But under extreme circumstances, such as exceptionally high rainfall, these companies are allowed to discharge untreated sewage. This is to avoid capacity being reached and sewage coming back into people\u2019s homes and businesses, says Dr Sarah Purnell, a researcher in aquatic environment health at the University of Brighton. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A sewage network that\u2019s unable to deal with extreme amounts of rainfall means more sewage is finding its way onto Britain\u2019s coast<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

The legal model works relatively well when these events happen infrequently, notes Purnell. And since the sewage is mixed with stormwater on these occasions, it should be highly diluted. <\/p>\n\n

The problem is that these legal discharges are happening far more than many people realised and may be more concentrated. Michelle Walker, technical director of The Rivers Trust, says overflows of untreated sewage are being routinely used even when it hasn\u2019t been raining. <\/p>\n\n

She attributes this to three causes: investment in the sewer network and treatment facilities failing to keep pace with pressures such as population growth; more intense rainstorms due to climate change; and increased runoff from urban areas as more green spaces are paved over. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to swim recreationally after rainfall events, you\u2019re more likely to come across discharges\u201d <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

As well as being unpleasant, people swimming or boating in untreated wastewater are at risk of coming into contact with pathogens and developing gastrointestinal illnesses, or respiratory, eye and ear infections. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to swim recreationally after rainfall events, you\u2019re more likely to come across discharges and the chance of you getting sick is likely to be greater,\u201d says Purnell. Sewage discharges also significantly impact the ecological quality of rivers, she adds. <\/p>\n\n

Purnell notes these overflows are not a new issue, but have become more visible as the UK has begun to monitor them more effectively. Since 2020, the Environment Agency has required water companies to monitor and report on how often and for how long storm overflows are used. \u201c[But] we still don\u2019t know the volume of wastewater that gets discharged,\u201d says Purnell. <\/p>\n\n

Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, says the water industry and regulatory bodies have cut financial corners in favour of \u201cgreedy shareholders\u201d. \u201cOur beaches, rivers and lakes are some of our most precious natural resources, but water companies are treating them as an open sewer, devastating wildlife and posing serious health risks to all those who attempt to enjoy them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

An Environment Agency criminal regulatory investigation into sewage discharges at wastewater treatment works in England is currently underway. Its initial analysis in May found that there \u201cmay have been widespread and serious non-compliance with the relevant regulations\u201d. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A notice from the Environment Agency alerts bathers to potential post-rainfall sewage discharge in Falmouth this September <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

In response to concerns over sewage discharges, the government announced a plan in August requiring water companies to invest \u00a356bn to improve all storm overflows by 2050 (2035 for storm overflows near designated bathing waters and certain protected natural sites).<\/span><\/p>\n\n

But Walker says the government\u2019s plan is doesn\u2019t go far or fast enough to tackle the problem. She says stronger regulation and enforcement of the privatised water industry is needed. She also calls for the government to \u201cwork with nature\u201d to reduce the pressure of rainfall entering the sewer network. Measures to do this include increasing the use of water butts and rain gardens to reduce urban runoff, using wetlands to clean up sewage pollution, and expanding ponds and dams upstream as a form of natural flood management, she says. <\/p>\n\n

These measures would also reduce agricultural pollution runoff, keep rivers flowing in dry periods, reduce flood risk and help to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, she says. <\/p>\n\n

Purnell also says nature-based solutions are useful. \u201cAnything we can do to slow down runoff or infiltration of rainfall to the sewage network will help.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Areas with the most discharges could be targeted to implement these sustainable drainage solutions, she adds. And all new housing estates and new builds should also be thinking about slowing down water paths. <\/p>\n\n

But water and sewage companies also need to invest in upgrading their infrastructure, Purnell says, through storage or increased treatment capacities. A longer-term solution would be to redesign the UK\u2019s system to deal with rainfall runoff separately to sewage, she adds, but accepts this would be difficult and expensive and is the \u201cleast realistic\u201d solution in the short term. <\/p>\n\n

Meanwhile, the UK needs to focus on gaining a real understanding of the current discharges, according to Prof Andrew C Johnson, environmental research scientist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. He says two critical pieces are missed by current monitoring: the volumes of untreated sewage being discharged, and whether it is happening more frequently now than before. To truly assess the risks, he explains, both the volume of sewage overflows and the water quality downstream from these overflows need to be measured. <\/p>\n\n

by JOCELYN TIMPERLEY <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

(@jloistf<\/a><\/em>) Jocelyn is a freelance science, climate and environment journalist.<\/p>\n\n

IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES X2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK\u2019s ageing infrastructure is struggling to cope with increased rainfall and a growing population, and this means sewage is being discharged into our seas and rivers. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water\u2026 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":18096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"38","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"38","purple_seq_number":"2","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"2","purple_source_article":"article_38-2.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_38-2.xml","purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_external_id":"October-2022-38-2","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"October-2022-38-2","purple_issue_code":"|0000089659||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000089659||","purple_android_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue383","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue383.2","purple_ios_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue383","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.focus.magazine.issue383.2","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"0f422ad1-c939-476d-9f82-a410052ad4c3","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-10-11T10:36:48Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"afaec709-4833-4b74-b281-24c1c0e6f3ab","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-10-12T08:55:09Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Ar67HCUgzS3SygSTBwObzqw","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[27],"tags":[15],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa.jpg",2048,1397,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa-300x205.jpg",300,205,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa-768x524.jpg",768,524,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa-1024x699.jpg",800,546,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa-1536x1048.jpg",1536,1048,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2022\/10\/77f2100d-801d-4c05-8ff2-4e4d37dfeafa.jpg",2048,1397,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The UK\u2019s ageing infrastructure is struggling to cope with increased rainfall and a growing population, and this means sewage is being discharged into our seas and rivers. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water\u2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18098"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18098"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18866,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18098\/revisions\/18866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}