author-image
RED BOX | REBECCA POW

How to stop the tide of sewage being dumped in rivers

The Times

Making sure that we have clean rivers and seas, and tackling sewage pollution, is an absolute priority as we build back better and greener from the pandemic.

We have seen positive action with the establishment of a Storm Overflows Taskforce and an ambitious Environment Bill that sets out how the government will address a range of water pollution issues.

It is a problem that goes back almost 200 years when our first sewers were installed. For years, rainwater falling on roofs, patios and roads was combined with wastewater, including sewage, from homes. While all new homes since the 1960s have separate pipes for rainwater and sewage, the age of our network means these often end up back in the same pipe again in the sewer