Without rainwater the sewage is likely to be less diluted - leading to build-ups of algae which produce toxins “that can be fatal to pets and pose a health risk to swimmers”, says Dr Linda May, a water ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Collectively throughout 2022, Thames, Southern and Wessex illegally started releasing sewage on dry days 388 times - research by the BBC’s climate and data teams suggests - including during last summer when these regions were in drought.
Across the Wessex Water region - from the Dorset coast to the Bristol area - BBC analysis identified 68 sites where sewage may have been discharged illegally last year.
One of the agency’s officers - who works in environmental regulation - told the BBC anonymously there was a “firm link” between the EA’s failure to identify and investigate dry spills, and budget cuts and staff losses.
In March 2022, Robert Bailey from the Clean Harbours Partnership noticed his local chalk stream, the River Lavant near Chichester, had become “discoloured for many miles and was starting to fill with a white plume”.
John Penicud, head of wastewater operations at Southern Water, told the BBC that “so-called ‘dry spills’ are a complex issue” and said discharges in dry weather can be caused by groundwater entering pipes.
The original article contains 1,847 words, the summary contains 218 words. Saved 88%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
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Without rainwater the sewage is likely to be less diluted - leading to build-ups of algae which produce toxins “that can be fatal to pets and pose a health risk to swimmers”, says Dr Linda May, a water ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Collectively throughout 2022, Thames, Southern and Wessex illegally started releasing sewage on dry days 388 times - research by the BBC’s climate and data teams suggests - including during last summer when these regions were in drought.
Across the Wessex Water region - from the Dorset coast to the Bristol area - BBC analysis identified 68 sites where sewage may have been discharged illegally last year.
One of the agency’s officers - who works in environmental regulation - told the BBC anonymously there was a “firm link” between the EA’s failure to identify and investigate dry spills, and budget cuts and staff losses.
In March 2022, Robert Bailey from the Clean Harbours Partnership noticed his local chalk stream, the River Lavant near Chichester, had become “discoloured for many miles and was starting to fill with a white plume”.
John Penicud, head of wastewater operations at Southern Water, told the BBC that “so-called ‘dry spills’ are a complex issue” and said discharges in dry weather can be caused by groundwater entering pipes.
The original article contains 1,847 words, the summary contains 218 words. Saved 88%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!