Sewage scandal: The most outrageous sewage stories this year - as raw waste continues to be spilled into our rivers and seas

This year the sewage scandal has grown here in the UK with anger mounting over how much raw waste is poured into our rivers and seas. Protests have taken place up and down the country as figures revealed the huge amount of sewage polluting our waterways, water companies being fined for their pollution incidents and people falling ill after swimming in sewage-polluted waters.

On Surfers Against Sewage interactive map there continues to be alerts warning the public not to swim at beaches due to sewage and campaigners are continuing to fight for the government and regulator Ofwat to get stricter and more fierce on water companies that are breaking the law and continuing to release raw waste. Here we outline the most outrageous sewage stories that have featured on NationalWorld this year - from sweetcorn being spotted flowing through the River Thames to a woman fighting for her life after swimming in sewage polluted sea.

The most outrageous sewage stories of this year

Water companies in England dumping sewage onto Blue Flag beaches more than 1,500 times last year

Water companies in England dumped sewage into beaches with a Blue Flag status more than 1,500 times last year, according to figures. Blackpool Sands beach in Stoke Fleming, Devon, was found to be the worst incident, as sewage was discharged for 1,014 hours in 2022 during 63 separate dumps onto the beach.

Over 21,000 sewage discharges occurred in UK bathing water status areas last year

More than 21,000 sewage discharges occurred in UK bathing water status areas last year according to analysis. A total of 125,000 hours worth of sewage was discharged into hotspots across the country where people swim and use the water for other leisure purposes, according to Environment Agency data analysed by the Liberal Democrats.

There were over 3,000 “monster” sewage dumps into England’s rivers and seas last year

There were over 3,000 “monster” sewage dumps into England’s rivers and seas last year, according to the Liberal Democrats. The figure was up 63% compared to 2021 - a rise slammed by the party as a “national scandal”.

South West Water fined record amount of over £2.1m for ‘unacceptable’ sewage pollution offences 

South West Water was fined more than £2.1 million after admitting causing “unacceptable” pollution in Devon and Cornwall. The Environment Agency (EA) said it was a record fine for environmental offences in the region.

Anglian Water fined record £2.65m after dumping sewage into North Sea - equivalent of three 50m swimming pools 

Anglian Water was fined £2.65 million, the largest ever fine for environmental offences in East England, after admitting millions of litres of sewage was released into the North Sea. Representatives from the water company pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorised releases and breaches of environmental permits.

Yorkshire Water donated £235,000 to a charity after it dumped raw sewage illegally during dry weather

A sewage activist has slammed Yorkshire Water for being “despicable” and “immoral” after the company donated £235,000 to a charity after it dumped raw sewage illegally during dry weather. Underwater filmmaker Mark Barrow at Beneath British Waters, who has been filming the extent of sewage in UK rivers, said water companies are “using these precious channels as sewage ducts” and they must be “brought to task once and for all”.

Up to 57 triathletes were struck with diarrhoea and vomiting after a race off the UK coast

Fifty-seven athletes fell ill after taking part in swimming competitions off the Wearside coast. Environment Agency sampling at the beach three days before the race, on 26 July, detected 39 times the amount of e-coli found in the water during typical readings.

Woman, 22, left fighting for life after swimming in sewage polluted sea

Caitlin Edwards, 22, developed a rare life-threatening condition where she needed multiple blood transfusions and dialysis after she went swimming for hours at Amroth. Caitlin developed E. coli which led to haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a rare condition damaging her kidneys, after untreated sewage had been released at the site she went swimming.

Dozens struck down with ‘severe vomiting’ and ‘diarrhoea’ after triathlon event in Kent

Dozens of people who took part in the annual Hever Castle Triathlon in September described how they fell ill with “severe vomiting” and “diarrhoea”. One woman posted on Reddit that her nine-year-old daughters took part in the event, in Kent, and were both “so poorly with severe sickness and cramps”.

Welsh Water breached sewage spills and water quality 223 times since 2018 - but only handed a fine twice

Welsh Water recorded 223 breaches of sewage discharge and water quality “offences” but only two resulted in fines, according to figures. The data from Freedom of Information requests by Violation Tracker and shared exclusively with WalesOnline showed that the water firm had more than 200 environmental breaches since 2018 but in the vast majority of cases only a warning was issued.

‘Disgusting’ treated sewage water with ‘undigested sweetcorn’ spotted in River Thames 

“Disgusting” treated sewage water which contained “undigested sweetcorn” and “condoms” was spotted in the River Thames by a campaigner. Ashley Smith, from the campaign group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, told NationalWorld he saw the true state of what is in treated sewage water that is pumped into rivers.

Man left critically ill in hospital with sepsis after taking a dip in the River Kennet 

A man was left critically ill with sepsis after he waded into the River Kennet in Wiltshire. Gordon Pepper, who lives in the village of Mildenhall in the Kennet Valley, contracted the infection after paddling in the river and was in a sepsis ward for two days.

UK beach strewn with ‘hundreds’ of condoms, sanitary pads and tampons

A woman described how she picks up “hundreds” of sewage debris including condoms, sanitary pads and tampons when she walks across her local beach. She posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, detailing how her local beach in Newcastle was “strewn” with the debris, slamming it as “disgusting”.

Teacher forced to quit job after surfing in Devon leaves him with incurable ear condition

A teacher was forced to stop working after he contracted an incurable ear condition that he believes was from surfing in waters polluted by raw sewage. Reuben Santer told Sky News his problems started last November after he surfed at Saunton Beach in Devon.

UK water firm is 'covering up' over 60 sewage pollution incidents

Whistleblowers at the Environment Agency (EA) have claimed the company has been wrongly downgrading pollution incidents that water companies make and is failing to conduct independent checks. One insider told BBC’s Panorama investigation that United Utilities was "controlling the evidence" on pollution. Leaked documents to the BBC suggest the water firm wrongly downgraded dozens of pollution incidents in north-west England last year.