The sewerage network in our country regularly discharges treated sewage as well as overflows of untreated sewage and storm water into our rivers.
Collectively, there were 384,568 spills from the discharge points last year for a combined total of over 2.3 million hours, according to data from the Environment Agency. The most active sewage discharge point in England and Wales pumped waste into a river for the equivalent of 325 days straight last year.
One of the worst affected areas of Leeds was the Knostrop Wastewater Treatment Works. At an outlet near Pontefract Lane there were 89 spills lasting 1,088 hours or a total of around 45 days.
