New figures show that over 147 days' worth of raw sewage was dumped into Wallasey's waterways last year.
Analysis of Environment Agency data shows that in 2022, raw sewage was discharged in Wallasey for 3547 hours - the equivalent of a continuous flow running for almost 5 months of the year.
Raw sewage was dumped in Wallasey 666 times last year, roughly once every 13 hours, which the area's MP has labelled a damning indictment of the Tories' willingness to turn a blind eye to sewage polluting the places people live, work and holiday.
The data comes after Labour analysis found that a new sewage dumping event has taken place on average every two-and-a-half minutes nationally since 2016 with rivers, lakes, seas, and facing a staggering 1,276 years’ worth of raw sewage over just a seven-year period.
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United Utilities, responsible for supplying water across the North West, was accountable for the highest quantity of untreated raw sewage discharged last year, as a fifth of all spills nationally happened under their watch with 425,491 hours’ worth of sewage dumped. In the same year, the company paid out dividends of £296 million after operating profits of £610 million.
By the end of last year, sewage discharges had more than doubled from 14.7 per overflow in 2016 to 35.4 in 2019, Labour have pointed out that this coincided with current Environment Secretary Therese Coffey’s decision to cut funding for environmental protection, during her tenure as Water Minister.
Jim McMahon, Shadow Environment Secretary said: “That the Tories have allowed villages, towns, and cities across the country to be treated as open sewers shows that they have no respect for places where people live, work and holiday.
“Communities in Wallasey should be able to just enjoy the place where they live without having to worrying about encountering filthy raw sewage.
“The next Labour Government will end the Tory sewage scandal, delivering mandatory monitoring on all sewage outlets, introducing automatic fines for discharges, setting ambitious targets for stopping systematic sewage dumping and ensuring that water bosses are held to account for negligence.”
Wallasey MP Angela Eagle said: “The latest data brings to the surface the shocking quantity of raw sewage being dumped into Wallasey’s waters. This is a crisis of this Government’s own making – sewage flowed into Wallasey’s water for over 950 more hours last year than in 2021.
"Labour’s amendment to the Environment Bill would’ve put a stop to this, but the Tories failed to support it – instead burying their heads in the sand as our beaches, lakes and rivers are filled with waste.
"United Utilities needs to clean up their act – if they can pay out £296 million to shareholders and execs, they can afford to take action to stop the flow of sewage into our water.
"Labour has a plan to end this Tory sewage scandal and to hold those responsible to account, ensuring beaches like New Brighton are clean for families to enjoy, and our waterways safe for natural life to thrive.”
United Utilities said data shows it has reduced spills by 39% since 2020 and said it invests twice as much as it makes in profit.
A spokesperson for the company said: “With the largest combined sewer system in the UK and 28% more rainfall than average, we are committed to delivering a step change in performance. We have already reduced spill frequency by 40% since 2020 and we know there is much more to do."
“We have ambitious plans to deliver one of the largest environmental improvement programmes in the country and we now have approval to fast track that and begin to deliver £900 million of improvements early, bringing region-wide benefits, reducing storm overflows, creating jobs, and boosting the resilience of local communities and the environment.”
A Defra spokesperson said: “By bringing in extensive monitoring of storm overflows – up from 7% in 2010 to 91% now – this government has enabled the extent of sewage discharges to be revealed so that we are better equipped to tackle it.
“Our new Plan for Water sets out the increased investment, tougher enforcement and tighter regulation to tackle the issue. This includes accelerated investment from United Utilities to spend £700 million, alongside an estimated £56 billion in capital investment over the next 25 years to reduce sewage discharges, building on the 800 improvements to storm overflows happening right now."
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