Sewage

A water dispenser full of what appears to be polluted water and condoms was left outside Thames Water's HQ in Reading. (Photo: @TheJimMurray on X)

Polluted water dispenser full of condoms left outside UK water firm HQ

An annual charity sea swim at Lyme Regis beach in Dorset was forced to be cancelled over sewage concerns. (Photo: Getty Images)

Annual charity sea swim in UK town 'wiped out' over sewage

A pilot of a light aircraft spotted large amounts of brown-coloured water when flying over Southend seafront in Essex. (Photo: @YourSouthend on X/Mark Hutley)

'Disgusting' brown-coloured water spotted at popular UK beach

Locals and businesses in Exmouth are set to launch legal action against South West Water over sewage spills. (Photo: Sideshore Community Facebook page)

'We want our beach back': Locals to sue UK water firm over sewage

Water firm bosses face up to two years in prison under moves to crack down on pollution in UK rivers and seas. (Photo: Getty Images)

UK water firm bosses to face prison time over sewage

Jo Bateman, who started legal action against South West Water for dumping sewage, is now heading to Downing Street as she has “had enough”. (Photo: Jo Bateman)

'I've had enough': Woman suing UK water firm to head to Downing Street

South West Water has been slammed for bringing “immeasurable damage” to Exmouth town in damage following sewage spills. (Photo: Geoff Crawford/ESCAPE Facebook group)

Water firm slammed for 'damaging' UK town leaving locals 'anxious'

Sewage in Scotland’s rivers and beaches is far more widespread than realised as there have been thousands of undisclosed overflow incidents. (Photo: Getty Images)

'Grim' truth of Scotland's sewage crisis unveiled

Mum claims paddling in beauty spot left teen daughter 'violently sick'

Six beaches across Devon have been slapped with sewage alerts on Surfers Against Sewage interactive map. (Photo: Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Popular Devon beaches hit with sewage alerts

The swimming leg of a triathlon held on a popular UK beach has been cancelled due to concerns over sewage. (Photo: Getty Images)

Triathlon swimming leg at UK beach cancelled over sewage fears

Sewage has been dumped for seven continuous days into the “iconic” Lake Windermere. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sewage dumped for seven continuous days into 'iconic' UK lake

Water UK has told Ofwat that its plans to cap water bill hikes at £19-a-year on average would “risk” efforts to decrease sewage discharges. (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Water firms warn capping bills will harm efforts to stop sewage dumps

New figures show that there has been a huge increase in sewage being dumped at popular Blue Flag beaches across the UK. (Photo: Getty Images)

Huge increase in 'foul sewage pumping' near Blue Flag beaches

A new study has named and shamed the UK’s top 10 dirtiest beaches that have high levels of contamination. (Photo: Kim Mogg/NationalWorld)

UK's most polluted beaches mapped

Fierce sewage campaigner Feargal Sharkey has announced a new date for a sewage pollution protest named ‘March for Clean Water’. (Photo: Isabella Boneham / NationalWorld)

Feargal Sharkey announces new date for sewage pollution protest

People have fallen ill after visiting Exmouth beach in Devon which was hit by a major sewage spill after a sewer pipe burst. (Photo: Geoff Crawford)

People fall ill after visiting UK beach

People have fallen ill after visiting Exmouth beach in Devon which was hit by a major sewage spill after a sewer pipe burst.

Isabella Boneham

Local businesses in Exmouth, Devon, have told NationalWorld how they have been “hugely impacted” by sewage spills. (Photos: Red Rock Leisure Limited)

Businesses at UK beach 'call for compensation' after sewage spill

A movement to “stop paying water bills” is being considered in a town in Devon after a major sewage spill - as locals have “had enough”. (Photos: Geoff Crawford/ESCAPE, End Sewage Convoys And Pollution Exmouth)

'Emotions high' as campaign brews to 'stop paying water bills'

The Environment Agency has issued an update on its course of action after a major sewage spill at Exmouth beach in Devon. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

'Legal approach considered' after sewage spill at UK beach

South West Water has issued an update on the major sewage spill that plagued popular Exmouth beach in Devon. (Photo: Maciej Olszewski - stock.adobe.com)

Water firm issues update on major sewage spill at popular UK beach

Beaches across the UK have been slapped with a sewage alert by Surfers Against Sewage with swimming “not advised”. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sewage alerts at 40 UK beaches ahead of 25C highs this weekend

People have been urged to avoid entering the sea at a popular beach in Devon after a major sewage spill. (Photo: Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Urgent 'do not swim' warning at popular UK beach

New electronic signs have been installed at a popular beach in Portsmouth to alert swimmers and beachgoers of any sewage discharges. (Photo: Portsmouth City Council/Getty Images)

New signs installed at UK beach to alert swimmers of sewage

Twenty-one UK beaches, including popular hotspots Crantock and Weston-super-Mare, have been slapped with sewage alerts ahead of nice weather this weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sewage-plagued beaches to avoid this weekend as mini-heatwave arrives

A storm drain covered in sewage detritus Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Water companies face £168m fine over sewage pollution

Steve Reed has confirmed that water bosses will face criminal charges over sewage dumping. (Photo: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

Boring and weak from Reed as water bosses 'to face' criminal charges Isabella Boneham

Over 40 UK beaches, including popular hotspots Fistral and Weston-super-Mare, have been slapped with sewage alerts ahead of nice weather this weekend.

43 UK beaches slapped with sewage alerts ahead of weekend sunshine

Over 40 UK beaches, including popular hotspots Fistral and Weston-super-Mare, have been slapped with sewage alerts ahead of nice weather this weekend.

Isabella Boneham

The Liberal Democrats have warned that there were thousands more sewage dumps into Scotland’s waterways last year than previously known. (Photo: Getty Images)

Hidden figures shows Scotland's sewage crisis 'hugely underestimated'

The boss of Yorkshire Water has been paid a £1m pay package in what has been called the “biggest scam going”. (Photo: NationalWorld/Kim Mogg/Yorkshire Water)

UK water firm boss paid 'disgusting' £1m in 'biggest scam going'

Seventy-one beaches across the UK, including ones popular with locals and holidaymakers, have been slapped with a sewage alert before the 30C heatwave due to hit this weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

71 UK beaches slapped with sewage alert ahead of 30C heatwave

The UK’s top 10 dirtiest beaches have been unveiled with holidaymakers and locals alike urged to avoid these spots this summer. (Photo: cpphotoimages - stock.adobe.com)

The 10 dirtiest UK beaches and bathing spots to avoid this summer

Amber Keegan, who has swum competitively for almost 20 years, is attempting to swim the English Channel to raise money for Surfers Against Sewage. (Photo: Getty Images)

Student takes on English Channel to raise money for sewage charity

Thames Water has been slammed as “disgraceful” as school trips and lessons have been “cancelled” due to sewage pollution. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thames Water ‘after our kids’ as school trips and lessons ‘cancelled’

The River Seine, which will be hosting Paris Olympics swimming events, is still failing to meet water safety standards. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Paris river still unfit for swimming one month from Olympics

An "alarmingly high" level of the E.coli bacteria has been found in the section of the River Thames which is to be used for the Henley Royal Regatta. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

E.coli warning ahead of UK's historic rowing race

Holidaymakers are urged to avoid 48 ‘Black Flag’ beaches in Spain located in popular hotspots including Ibiza, Tenerife and Lanzarote due to sewage pollution. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Warning to avoid 48 gross Spanish beaches polluted with raw sewage

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey and Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds (left) during a visit to Wales on the General Election campaign trail (Photo: Jacob King/PA Wire)

Explainer Here are the Lib Dems' environment and climate policies this election

NationalWorld's manifesto for change. Credit: Mark Hall

NationalWorld’s five-point general election manifesto Ralph Blackburn

A record amount of “s*** and pollution” is “clogging up” UK seas and rivers as sewage was released for over 400,000 hours in 2023. (Photo: Jonathan Salariya/Friends of the Earth/PA Wire)

Record amount of 's*** and pollution' is 'clogging up' UK seas

The public have been urged to avoid 13 UK beaches due to poor water quality and sewage pollution just as temperatures are set to soar this weekend. (Photo: Getty Images)

13 UK beaches to avoid due to sewage warnings

Boulter’s Bray Swim, a historic annual swimming race dating back to 1890, has been cancelled after sewage has been discharged into the River Thames. (Photo: Getty Images)

Historic swimming race cancelled over sewage

A sewage warning has been issued for 116 beaches across the UK by Surfers Against Sewage ahead of the bank holiday weekend with the public urged not to swim. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sewage warning for 116 UK beaches

West wipes containing plastic are set to be banned from sale in the UK under new government plans due to be announced following a long-running campaign. (Credit: Marine Conservation Society/PA Wire)

'Killer' bathroom product banned

Debt-ridden Thames Water has continuously pumped raw sewage into a rare chalk stream for over 1,000 hours since February. Picture: Getty Images

Water firm pumps sewage into rare chalk stream for over 1,000 hours

Up to £11m in water company fines will be reinvested into a local scheme to improve waterways. (Photo: Emily Whitfield-Wicks/PA Wire)

Water firm fines will be reinvested to improve waterways

How did you MP vote on sewage spills? Credit: Mark Hall/Adobe

Explainer How did my MP vote on sewage spills? Tory and Labour voting records

Cambridge cox James Trotman is thrown in the Tideway last year.

Boat Race hit by polluted water

Sewage spills in England more than doubled from 2022 to 2023, according to new data from the Environmental Agency. (Credit: Getty Images)

Record levels of sewage spills

Thames Water has dumped sewage into London rivers for over 1,900 hours since the start of this year - while it seeks to hike bills by 40% to avoid a bailout. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Water firm has dumped sewage for over 1,900 hours so far this year

Activists are holding a protest against "ongoing" sewage dumping into one of the UK's "world famous" rivers - which features regularly on the BBC series Gone Fishing. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)

Protest underway to protect UK's 'world famous' river

Water companies in England and Wales have almost doubled their profits since 2019 while rives have been "destroyed" by sewage pollution. (Photo: Getty Images)

Water firms 'laughing' as profits almost double since 2019

"Sickened" sewage activists who are part of the water bill boycott campaign are holding a public meeting with Wessex Water. (Photo: Don't Pay for Dirty Water campaign)

'Sickened' sewage activists to hold public meeting with water firm

Thames Water has "complained" after the CEO of charity River Action used the word 's***' in a speech to the "sewage industry". (Photo: Getty Images)

Water firm 'complains' over campaigner using word 's***'

Eleven popular swimming spots across the UK have been stripped of their bathing water status due to pollution. (Photo: Getty Images)

Popular swimming spots lose bathing water status over pollution

A woman said she was horrified when she realised she was walking through sewage with "mashed up toilet paper" and "condoms" at Bournville Park in Birmingham. (Photo: NW/Eleri Wilson)

Woman walks through 'vile' human waste 'with condoms' at local park

Southern Water has been fined £330,000 after leaking sewage into a stream for up to 20 hours killing 2,000 fish. (Photo: Environment Agency/PA Wire)

£330,000 fine for fish-killing sewage spill