Key facts
- England's water companies failed to report over 50,000 sewage discharges within the required hour in the first six months of 2026.
- Surfers Against Sewage claims all nine of England's water companies flouted reporting rules.
- Over 4,000 delayed reports affected designated bathing waters.
- At least 70,400 hours of sewage were dumped on dry days in the first six months of 2026.
- 1,687 people reported illness after using UK waters in the first eight months of 2026.
England's water companies have been accused of systematically failing to report sewage discharges within the legally mandated timeframe, according to a report by the charity Surfers Against Sewage. The report, based on Freedom of Information requests, claims that over 50,000 sewage spills were not reported within the required hour in the first six months of 2026. This failure to report in near real-time prevents the public from being aware of water conditions when engaging in activities like swimming or surfing.
Surfers Against Sewage stated that more than 4,000 of these delayed reports specifically affected designated bathing waters. The charity also highlighted that water companies are only permitted to use storm overflows during heavy rainfall, yet at least 70,400 hours of sewage were dumped on dry days across England in the first half of the year. South West Water, specifically, is cited for failing to report over 3,000 sewage discharges within the hour and for over 12,000 hours of dry weather spills.
The report also noted a significant number of people reporting illness after using rivers, lakes, and beaches. Surfers Against Sewage received 1,687 such reports in the first eight months of 2026, an increase from the previous year. Swimming coach Loretta Cox shared her experience of becoming severely ill with E. coli after swimming in the sea off Looe, Cornwall, last year, which she attributes to sewage contamination.
In response, water companies stated they are reviewing the methodology behind the figures and acknowledged that differences in data interpretation may exist. South West Water said it treats all illness reports seriously and is investing £760 million to tackle storm overflows, claiming a 17% reduction in spills and a 25% reduction in spill duration in the past year. Ofwat, the water regulator, stated that any sewage spill is unacceptable and that it has secured over £300 million in fines and enforcement packages for wastewater breaches, vowing to act where companies fail to meet legal requirements.