Sewage dumping in Gateshead reaches 15,977 hours in 2023

Sewage dumping in Gateshead reaches 15,977 hours in 2023

New figures analysing sewage dumped in Council areas have revealed that sewage was dumped into waterways in Gateshead for 15,977 hours in 2023.

The analysis is based on official data from the Environment Agency, compiled by the House of Commons Library for the Liberal Democrats. It shows sewage was dumped into local rivers on 3939 separate occasions in 2023. 

This is a shocking 162% rise in the duration of sewage spills compared to the previous year, showing how the sewage scandal has worsened under the Conservative government’s watch.

Sewage was dumped into England’s rivers over 460,000 times for a total of over 3.6 million hours in 2023.

The Liberal Democrats have led the way in campaigning against sewage dumping for years. The party is calling for strict measures including replacing Ofwat with a tougher regulator, a ban on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways and the declaration of a national environmental emergency.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Gateshead Central and Whickham Ron Beadle said, “It is disgusting that Northumbrian Water pumped their filthy sewage into our waterways so many times last year. The River Team was polluted 221 times in 2023, with sewage outflows totalling 1289 hours.

On doorstep after doorstep, people in Gateshead told me how furious they were that filthy sewage had been pumped into local rivers and waterways - they want to send this Conservative government a message. The Liberal Democrats have led the way for years in campaigning for tougher action. We want to see a tougher water regulator, an end to bonuses for polluting water company bosses and stronger protections for our local environment.

Come the General Election, Liberal Democrats will be campaigning hard against this national scandal that has been allowed to take hold while the Conservative Government has sat on its hands and looked the other way.”

Details of sewage spills by Local Authority can be found here.

Original source: Environment Agency (EA), Annual Returns for Storm Overflows 2023

Details of River Team pollution: https://top-of-the-poops.org/waterway/northumbrian-water/river-team