Popular tourist spots from Northumberland to Cornwall were polluted with raw waste, as water companies were forced to discharge sewage through \u2018storm overflows\u2019.<\/p>\n
Storm overflows<\/a> are used to prevent water companies\u2019 pipe networks from becoming overwhelmed during extreme weather in order to stop sewage backing up into peoples\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n Yellow thunderstorm warnings<\/a> were in place across much of England over the weekend, while an amber warning was issued for London and parts of the south east. A yellow thunderstorm warning is in place for large parts of the country until 9pm on Monday.<\/p>\n During periods of extreme wet weather large amounts of rainfall makes its way into the pipe network where it mixes with sewage. <\/p>\n Water companies store this excess water in large storm tanks, however, if these become full, the untreated waste must be released back into rivers via storm overflows.<\/p>\n Firms have been widely criticised for how often they are doing this: in 2024 water companies spilled sewage 450,398 times. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Figures released by the Environment Agency showed serious water pollution incidents had increased by 60 per cent from 2023 to 2024<\/a>. <\/p>\n Online maps published by water companies showed hundreds of storm overflows were active during the wet weather this weekend, dumping a deluge of sewage into the country\u2019s rivers, lakes and seas.<\/p>\n Spills occurred at popular swim spots across the country, including Penzance in Cornwall, Morecambe Bay in the North West and Eastbourne in Kent. <\/p>\n At an official bathing spot at Whitley Bay in the North East, Northumbrian Water dumped sewage for two-and-a-half hours on Saturday evening. <\/p>\n A storm overflow next to Firestone Bay in Plymouth was active for four hours on Sunday morning. <\/p>\n There were several sewage spills across the Isle of Wight, including at Cowes, Sandown and Shanklin. <\/p>\n Sewage was dumped at West Beach in Whitstable for seven hours on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n Campaigners were critical of the widespread sewage dumping at a time when large parts of the country are in drought<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cDuring downpours or drought, these profit-hungry water companies are dumping sewage into our blue spaces at a disgusting rate,\u201d said Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the grim result of years of chronic underinvestment, and symptomatic of a system that prioritises payouts and bonuses instead of the environment or people.\u201d<\/p>\n A drought has been declared in five regions in the UK, including Yorkshire, the North West and Midlands<\/a>, while a further six regions are in \u201cprolonged dry weather\u201d, which means they could enter drought soon.<\/p>\n Before this weekend\u2019s thunderstorms, all regions in England had recorded below average levels of rainfall for the month of July. <\/p>\n Water companies said they are investing billions over the next five years to reduce the number of sewage spills. <\/p>\n The regulator Ofwat has approved a record \u00a3104bn investment by water companies over the next five years, however this will be funded by average bill increases of 36 per cent before inflation.<\/p>\n It comes as the Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, pledged on Sunday<\/a> that the Government would halve the number of sewage spills across England by 2030.<\/p>\n The target would be measured against last year\u2019s figures, when water companies spilled sewage 450,398 times. <\/p>\n It is also rumoured that ministers are poised to announce the scrapping of Ofwat<\/a> this week in response to an independent review of the water industry that Labour ordered when it came into power. <\/p>\n![\"FALMOUTH,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_251755616.jpg\")
Close up of a protestor\u2019s sign during the SAS Paddle Out from Gyllyngvase Beach on 17 May, 2025 (Photo: Hugh R Hastings\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n