Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton Environment reporter

Thames Water pumped at least 72bn litres of sewage into Thames since 2020

Sewage is discharged into Earlswood Brook from the nearby treatment works, on 13 April 2023.
Sewage is discharged into Earlswood Brook from the nearby treatment works, on 13 April 2023. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Thames Water has pumped at least 72bn litres of sewage into the River Thames since 2020 – roughly equal to 29,000 Olympic swimming pools – new figures reveal.

Water firms have no legal obligation to report the amount of sewage discharged, only the number of hours that it was released. But campaigners argue this data is insufficient as this does not properly quantify how much sewage is in England’s rivers.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.