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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sandra Laville

Regulators urged to act over water companies’ record sewage discharge

Environment Ofwat Thames Water United Utilities Yorkshire Water Southern Water South West Water Anglian Water England Wessex Water
A swam swimming in sewage on the River Thames in Windsor, Berkshire
A swan swims through sewage on the River Thames in Windsor, Berkshire. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock

Regulators face pressure to act after further evidence of potentially illegal activity by water companies has been revealed.

Analysis of the latest data shows that more than 2,000 overflows owned by a number of companies are discharging raw sewage into rivers and seas at a scale that should spark an immediate investigation into illegal breaches of permit conditions.

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