Revealed: river pollution twice as bad inside national parks as outside them

The East Dart River. Dartmoor had the longest total duration of sewage releases in 2024. Photograph: Sebastian Wasek/Alamy

Sewage is pouring into the rivers inside national parks at twice the rate that is occurring outside the protected areas, it can be revealed.

Campaigners described the situation as “outrageous” and said rivers and lakes in national parks in England and Wales should be the cleanest and most protected in the country.