{"id":714,"date":"2023-05-18T12:03:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T12:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/sewage-spills-water-bills-set-to-rise-to-pay-for-10bn-upgrade\/"},"modified":"2023-05-18T12:03:35","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T12:03:35","slug":"sewage-spills-water-bills-set-to-rise-to-pay-for-10bn-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/sewage-spills-water-bills-set-to-rise-to-pay-for-10bn-upgrade\/","title":{"rendered":"Sewage spills: Water bills set to rise to pay for \u00a310bn upgrade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sewage spills: Water bills set to rise to pay for \u00a310bn upgrade<\/p>\n

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\"Wastewater<\/picture><\/span>Fay<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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By Esme Stallard<\/div>\n
Climate and Science Reporter, BBC News<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Bills could rise after water suppliers in England said they were ready to spend \u00a310bn on tackling sewage spills. <\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The privately owned companies have apologised for the amount of contaminated water being discharged into rivers and seas, amid mounting public anger over the practice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Some campaigners have cautiously welcomed the move, but others say firms are shifting the cost on to billpayers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The industry paid out \u00a31.4bn to shareholders in 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Musician and environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey called it a “half apology” that was another attempt to extract more money from customers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“What I am actually hearing is no apology for the fact we have paid them for a service we haven’t got, they are now suggesting we pay them a second time for a service we haven’t had,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“We should have an apology for the suggestion they are going to put bills up by \u00a310bn for their incompetence and their greed. This is nothing to celebrate.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Companies are sometimes allowed to spill sewage into open water following heavy rainfall to prevent the system becoming overloaded and backing up into people’s homes. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But campaigners have long said these spills are happening too often. In 2022, raw sewage was dumped into rivers and seas for 1.75 million hours – or 825 times a day on average. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Untreated sewage contains bacteria such as E.coli and viruses like hepatitis, that can be harmful to animals and humans. Swimming in water where untreated sewage is discharged can lead to serious illnesses such as stomach bugs, which may cause diarrhoea and vomiting, as well as respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Wildlife including fish and insects can also experience kidney issues and die from sewage pollution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Water UK, the body which represents England’s nine water and sewage companies, apologised on behalf of the industry for not “acting quickly enough”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ruth Kelly, the organisation’s chair, told BBC News: “We’re sorry about the upset and the anger from the fact that there have been overspills of untreated sewage onto beaches and into rivers over the past few years. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“We’re sorry that we didn’t act sooner, but we get it.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Environment Agency chairman Alan Lovell welcomed the companies’ apology but said he wanted to “see action and a clear plan for delivery”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The companies said on Thursday they were ready to spend \u00a310bn raised from investors to tackle the problem – but admitted customers could see a “modest” bills rise as firms looked to recover the costs over time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Water regulator Ofwat said on Thursday it would review the commitment to assess what impact it could have on consumers before spending begins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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There are many ways that water companies can spend the money to reduce sewage spills including:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • Increasing the capacity of the sewage system<\/li>\n
  • Separating out rainwater and wastewater<\/li>\n
  • Installing natural systems such as planting trees which absorb the water <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    But the water companies have come under significant criticism for suggesting bills could be raised to pay for this investment whilst continuing to pay out profits to shareholders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    English water companies have handed more than \u00a32bn a year on average to shareholders since they were privatised three decades ago, Whilst customers have seen their bills rise 7.5% since April, which water companies say is due to rising energy prices. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Downing street has said that water companies should put “consumers above profits”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The prime minister’s deputy official spokesman said the apology from water companies was welcome but acknowledged that more needed to be done. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    “And we’ve been clear throughout that we don’t want to see things disproportionately impacting customer bills, especially given we know that there are people up and down the country who are struggling with the cost of living, which is why we provided the help we have in that area.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    It is not yet known how much bills could rise with the new investment as Ofwat will not make a decision until the end of 2024 on spending plans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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