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River Avon has some of the most sewage spills in England
Analysis by the Guardian has revealed that the River Avon is in the top three waterways for the most amount of sewage spill in England.
The urban section of the river, which flows through Bath and Bristol, had 6,573 sewage spills in 2023, or 74 spills per mile, making it the third most polluted in England, according to data analysed by the newspaper.
According to the Environment Agency’s data, storm overflows contribute to just 3 per cent of the reasons that the Bristol Avon catchment does not achieve good ecological status, below factors such as urban run-off (31 per cent) and agriculture (25 per cent).
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The River Avon flows through popular bathing sites in and around Bristol like Warleigh Weir, Conham River Park, Saltford, and Bristol’s very own harbour, where a swimming pilot was recently launched.
Managed by the Environmental Agency, it is the only river in the south of England to feature in the worst ten, coming behind the River Darwen near Blackburn and Preston.
Wessex Water, whose catchment area takes in the River Avon, said the high number of sewage spills was due to the fact that 2023 was the fourth wettest year since records began.
In first place was the River Irwell and its tributary, the Croal, which flows through Salford and Manchester, where more than 3,000 sewage spills from nearby overflows in 2023, the equivalent of 83 spills per mile.
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The findings are part of an investigation by the Guardian into the UK’s waterways, which found that raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6 million hours into the country’s rivers and seas last year.
Sewage spills are the result of storm overflows, which act as a relief valve when a sewage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy downpours.
According to the newspaper, senior industry figures highlighted the heavy rainfall over the autumn and winter that put huge pressure on the sewerage system.
But storm overflows are supposed to cope with heavy rainfall and only be used in exceptional circumstances, like major storm events.
The waterways in Bristol – including the River Avon – are managed by Wessex Water. The company saw a 186 per cent increase to 372,341 hours in 2023.
According to a separate report by the Guardian, Wessex Water customers will face the most expensive bills when they go up in the next financial year, with their annual cost rising to £548, from £489. In 2022, Wessex Water’s managing director, Colin Skellett, took home a salary of £982,000.
A spokesperson for Wessex Water said: “Storm overflow discharges did increase across England in 2023 because it was the fourth wettest year since records began.
“There are now monitors installed on 100 per cent of storm overflows in the country, so discharge figures would likely be higher in 2023 even if rainfall wasn’t as high.
“Despite their minimal environmental impact, Wessex Water agrees that storm overflows are outdated. This is why we are investing £3 million a month to progressively improve them – with plans to more than double this between 2025 and 2030, subject to regulators’ approval.
“For the River Avon, several projects are underway to reduce the operation of storm overflows that discharge most frequently, including:
- Saltford, Bristol: New 50,000-litre stormwater storage tank and expansion of water recycling centre. £35 million investment. Work is ongoing.
- Keynsham, Bristol: New sewer pipes and expansion of water recycling centre. £17 million investment. Work is ongoing.
- Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire: New 160,000-litre stormwater storage tank. £2 million investment. Due to finish in April 2024.
- Lambridge, Bath: New 170,000-litre stormwater storage tank. £1.3 million investment. Completed in December 2023.
- Hanham, Bristol: New 50,000-litre stormwater storage tank. £800,000 investment. Due to finish in May 2024.
“Additionally, work is taking place around the Wessex Water region to separate rainwater from sewage, seal sewers to prevent groundwater infiltration, and construct wetlands to improve the quality of discharges both from storm overflows and treatment sites.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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