British water companies released untreated sewage into the country’s waterways for more than 3.6 million hours in 2024, a slight increase on the amount recorded the year before, official data showed recently. The pumping of sewage into rivers and seas has become a major scandal in Britain, with privatized water companies accused of prioritizing dividends over investment and dumping sewage in waterways when its ailing infrastructure cannot cope. The Labour government has launched a review of the whole sector and the industry regulator Ofwat has said that customer bills should rise by an average of 36 per cent before inflation over the next five years to rebuild pipes, tunnels and pumping stations.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/