The Environment Agency says reports of sewage in the bathing spots in Northumberland and South South Shields are being taken "seriously" but said it is routine for the North Sea to become polluted after stormy or wet weather.
Storm sewage has been discharged into the North Sea close to Warkworth, Amble Links and Spittal in Northumberland in the past 48 hours, according to water quality alerts on the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) Safer Seas Service map, leading to pollution risk warnings which advice against swimming or bathing in the sea near those beaches. It also warns against swimming near Marsden Beach in South Shields, South Tyneside, due to sewage discharge in the River Tyne further north.
Northumbrian Water has explained why sewage is pumped into the North Sea during and after stormy weather.
Read more: Don't swim alerts due to sewage in North Sea
A spokesperson told ChronicleLive: “During heavy rainfall, all water companies use storm overflows which act as a relief valve on the sewer network to protect the homes of customers and the environment from sewer flooding.
“Such discharges happen with permission from the Environment Agency and are mostly rainwater with a small percentage of wastewater that have come together because they use the same sewer network."
The Environment Agency's Swimfo service, which updates weekly, also advises against bathing at Marsden and further north in Cullercoats, as the beach in North Tyneside has a "poor" water quality classification.
The Environment Agency said it takes reports of sewage in seas seriously. Its spokesperson said: "We would like to reassure concerned members of the public that reports of pollution in areas where bathers enjoy the coast are taken seriously, however daily fluctuations in water quality can sometimes occur based on the weather or tides.
“Throughout the bathing water season the Environment Agency monitors the water quality for sources of pollution known to be a risk to bathers’ health. We encourage anyone heading to the beach to visit the EA’s Swimfo website, which allows bathers to check information on over 400 bathing waters in England."
Sir Keir Starmer has accused the Government of having its head in the sand over the scale of sewage being pumped into British waterways. The Labour leader that the Government had not been tough enough on water companies and had been cutting the funding of the Environment Agency.
“I think there is huge anger about the sewage situation, because we’re seeing yet again sewage pumped into our rivers and into our seas. What is shows is that the Government hasn’t been tough enough on the water companies and the enforcement against the water companies.
“Of course at the same time, they have been cutting money to the Environment Agency.
“We can’t go on like this with a Government that knows there is a problem there, does absolutely nothing about it and it couldn’t come at a worse time. It is damaging our environment, but of course it is really affecting businesses at the height of the tourist season. Yet again, we say to the Government, get your head out of the sand and do something about it.”
Downing Street said water firms had a duty to put “customers before shareholders” and should reduce sewage discharges.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “We have been clear that the failure of water companies to adequately reduce sewage discharges is completely unacceptable. They have a duty to put their customers before shareholders and we would expect them to take urgent action on this issue or face fines.”
The spokeswoman added: “We continue to speak regularly with them, the Environment Agency undertake enforcement action and monitoring, which we have stepped up.”
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