In the midst of a shocking environmental crisis, millions of litres of raw sewage have been illegally pumped into Windermere, England’s largest lake, which has prompted urgent calls for corporate accountability and regulatory reform. Here’s the full story.
Pollution Crisis
The pollution crisis currently gripping the UK’s water industries, which has seen millions of litres of untreated sewage illegally released into the UK’s waterways, has taken another horrific turn since it was revealed that Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, had millions of litres of untreated sewage released into it.
Catastrophic Chain of Events
Following an investigation by the BBC leaked documents showed how, on 28th February, a telecom fault triggered a catastrophic chain of events at a pumping station in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria.
United Utilities
United Utilities, the water company responsible for the pumping station, failed to prevent the discharge of raw sewage into Windermere for a staggering 10 hours.
10 Million Litres
Whistleblowers have passed information to the BBC, which suggests that, shockingly, the emergency pumps, which release 500 litres per second, have dumped more than 10 million litres of raw sewage into the lake.
Recurrent Negligence
Shockingly, a similar incident occurred merely a year ago, hinting that the problems may extend from a simple fault to recurrent negligence by United Utilities.
“An Unexpected Fault”
In a statement, United Utilities blamed the incident on “an unexpected fault in the telecommunications network in the area, which United Utilities was not notified about.”
“Urgent Steps”
The spokesperson continued, “As soon as we discovered this fault was affecting the Glebe Road pumping station, our engineers took urgent steps to resolve the situation.”
“Single Biggest Threat”
However, Matt Staniek from Save Windermere, a campaign group that advocates for ending pollution in the lake, told the BBC that sewage, both treated and untreated, “remains the single biggest threat to England’s largest lake.”
“The Same Thing Keeps Happening”
He continued, “Time and time again the same thing keeps happening here in Windermere: United Utilities pollutes the lake and the Environment Agency turns a blind eye to it.”
Criminal Offence
Failure to notify the agency promptly is a criminal offence; however, the EA only received the call over 13 hours after the telecom fault and the onset of pollution.
Mounting Scrutiny
Similar to the condemnation of United Utilities for taking so long to report the incident, the Environment Agency, tasked with safeguarding environmental integrity, has faced mounting scrutiny for its handling of the incident.
“It Stops Us Witnessing the Pollution”
One whistleblower, speaking under condition of anonymity, told the BBC, “If these incidents are reported late then it stops us witnessing the pollution and collecting evidence, and then we have to let them off with a slap on the wrist rather than the more serious punishments that they probably deserve.”
New Investigation
Following a period of back-and-forth between the BBC and the Environment Agency, during which the EA claimed that an investigation had concluded, it now appears that, following the extended public outcry, a new investigation has been launched.
“Thorough Investigation”
An EA spokesperson stated, “We are undertaking a thorough investigation into the incident which involves examining further evidence from United Utilities.”
“Criminal Prosecution”
They continued, “If any water company is found to be in breach of an environmental permit the Environment Agency will take the appropriate enforcement action up to and including a criminal prosecution.”
Not an Isolated Incident
Despite EA’s attempts to assuage concerns about the incident, the Guardian’s analysis has shown that it is not an isolated incident.
The Worst Year
In the past year, water companies discharged raw sewage into waterways for a record 3.6 million hours, a 105% increase from the previous year. This made 2023 the worst year for stormwater pollution due to untreated waste discharges.
2,000 Overflows
The main reasons behind these discharges were asset maintenance failures and insufficient capacity at treatment plants. Over 2,000 overflows owned by various companies contributed to this issue, which has prompted calls for immediate investigations into potential illegal breaches of permit conditions.
Public Outrage
As public outrage continues to mount over the pollution of the UK’s waterways by privatised water companies, Labour MP Clive Lewis has stepped up calls for nationalising the industry.
£64 Billion Debt
Lewis stated, “Water companies in England have incurred debts of £64bn and paid out £78bn in dividends since they were privatised, debt-free, in 1989 … Water companies paid out £1.4bn in dividends in 2022 even as 11 of them were fined in the same year for missing performance targets.”
Health Risks
Beyond the ecological devastation caused by the leaks, sewage pollution poses tangible health risks.
16 Cases
Recent outbreaks of waterborne illnesses, such as 16 detected cases of cryptosporidium, a bacteria which causes diarrhoea, in Devon, underscore the profound dangers such pollution poses to public health.
Surfers Against Sewage
As campaign group Surfers Against Sewage prepares for a series of protests over the state of the country’s waterways, it remains to be seen if mounting public pressure will lead to changes that will ensure the health of the nation’s waterways, swimmers, and biodiversity.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Peter Titmuss.