Sewage Outfall discharging into river

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Environment Agency climb down after Fish Legal pressure against the lowering of standards for sewage discharges

6th October 2021

After the threat of legal action from environmental angling organisation Fish legal, the Environment Agency (EA) has said that it will amend the Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) to make it clear that the EA is not allowing illegal discharges of sewage into rivers.

Fish Legal is a not-for-profit organisation of dedicated lawyers who use the law on behalf of anglers to fight polluters and others who damage and threaten the water environment.

Fish Legal wrote to the EA on 10 September demanding that they withdraw the RPS after the EA gave the green light to water companies to breach their environmental permits and discharge partially treated sewage into rivers due to Covid and Brexit-related chemical-shortages.

Now the EA say they will “amend” the RPS.

Despite this victory for rivers, Fish Legal is still concerned at the “risk assessments” conducted by the water companies for the sewage works discharging into rivers and streams. The risk assessments suggest that very little has been done to fully consider environmental impact, particularly in the so-called “low-risk” “category A” rivers. The EA imply in their response, for instance, that they may not allow the water companies to use the RPS for rivers with “good” or “high” environmental status. But where a river is already failing its environmental standards, it is more acceptable to let the incompletely treated effluent into the river.

It is a revelation that these rivers are considered to be less important and Fish Legal are encouraging its members to continue to take action if their river is being deprioritised for environmental protection. If anyone is concerned about any of their local rivers, they are urged to contact the water companies to find out what protections have been put in place to ensure that there is no pollution or environmental harm.

Fish Legal interview on BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester. Audio used with permission of the BBC.

Risk Assessment Category A – Watercourse and WWTW site

These entries have been taken directly from the water company risk assessments and contain possible duplication and some blank columns, as in the originals sent to Fish Legal by the EA.

Severn Trent Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
Unnamed Trib of Chatcull BrookASHLEY (STW)
Unamed trib of Meece BrookBALDWINS GATE (STW)
River DerwentBELPER (STW)
Trib Of River SenceBILLESDON (STW)
River LeadonBOSBURY RBC (STW)
Trib Of Claverdon BrookCLAVERDON (STW)
River TrentCRANKLEY POINT (STW)
Derrington BrookDERRINGTON (STW)
River AvonEVESHAM (STW)
Langham BrookLANGHAM (STW)
Trib Of River DoveLONGNOR (STW) OLD
River TrentMILTON (STW)
Norton BrookNORTON JUXTA (STW)
River TrentRUGELEY (STW)
Northumbrian Water – Risk Assessment: 
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
Wansbeck from Font to Bothal BurnMORPETH STW
Wear from Croxdale Beck to Lumley Park BurnBARKERS HAUGH STW
Wear from Gaunless to BrowneyBISHOP AUCKLAND (VINOVIUM) STW
DerwentLockhaugh STW
Wear DS of Lumley Park Burn to Tidal LimitCHESTER LE STREET STW
Wear from Croxdale Beck to Lumley Park BurnBELMONT STW
Wear from Gaunless to BrowneyTUDHOE MILL STW
Beechburn Beck (Trib of Wear)LOW WADSWORTH STW
Croxdale Beck from Source to WearBOWBURN STW
Gaunless from Source to Hummer BeckBUTTERKNOWLE STW
Gaunless from Source to Hummer BeckCOCKFIELD STW
Leven from Source to TameGREAT AYTON STW
Gaunless from Source to Hummer BeckRAMSHAW STW
South West Water Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
 Bradninch
 Cullompton
HICKS MILL STREAMGwennap (Lanner St Day)
 Knowle
Lower River YealmLee Mill
GWINDRA STREAMNorth Fal (St Stephens Combe)
 Sandford
 Silverton
MOLESouth Molton
Upper River FalSt Dennis
EXETiverton
 Uffculme
CULMWilland
Southern Water Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
SwaleQUEENBOROUGH WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELSHOREHAM WTW
ArunCOLDWALTHAM WTW
RotherLISS WTW
BredeSEDLESCOMBE WTW
MARSH COURTSTOCKBRIDGE WTW
Broad RifeSIDLESHAM WTW
WinghamDAMBRIDGE WTW
ArunSOUTH AMBERSHAM WTW
ROTHERWAREHORNE WTW
AdurSTEYNING WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELBROOMFIELD BANK WTW
LANGSTONE HARBOURBUDDS FARM WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELEAST WORTHING WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELEASTBOURNE WTW
ThamesGRAVESEND WTW
MedwayHAM HILL WTW
MedwayMOTNEY HILL WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELNEWHAVEN WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELPEACEHAVEN WTW
SOLENTPEEL COMMON WTW
ENGLISH CHANNELSANDOWN WTW
AdurNEWBURY LANE CUCKFIELD WTW
Cockhaise BrookPARK ROAD HANDCROSS WTW
OuseSTAPLEFIELD WTW
Yorkshire Water Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
River Hull, River Hull Via Waterside pumping stationBeverley/STW
River Hull, River Hull Via Waterside pumping stationBeverley/STW
River DearneBolton On Dearne/STW
River AireCastleford/STW
River SwaleCOLBURN/STW
River FossCrayke/STW
River FossCrayke/STW
Pit Ings Stell (Trib Of River Swale)DALTON ELDMIRE/STW
River DearneDarfield/No 2 STW
River DonDenaby/NO 2 STW
River AireDowley Gap/STW
North Sea (Via Sea Outfall)FILEY/STW
North Sea (Via Sea Outfall)FILEY/STW
North Sea And Hartendale GutterFLAMBOROUGH VILLAGE/STW
River Ouse (Blacktoft Channel – Tidal)(Estuary)Gilberdyke/STW
River Ouse (Tidal)Goole/STW
River Ouse (Tidal)Goole/STW
Selby DamHambleton/STW
Oak BeckHARROGATE NORTH/STW
Crimple Beck Or River CrimpleHARROGATE SOUTH/STW
River Ouse (Tidal)HEMINGBROUGH/NO 2 STW
North SeaHornsea/STW
River Ouse (Tidal)Howden/STW
River AireKeighley Marley/STW
Lowthorpe BeckKilham/STW
River DerwentMalton/STW
River DerwentMalton/STW
River UreMasham/STW
River UreMasham/STW
River UreMasham/STW
Hoppelcarr DrainMelbourne/STW
Tributary Of Winestead DrainPatrington/STW
Costa BeckPickering/STW
River Ouse And Rawcliffe Ings DrainRAWCLIFFE YORK/STW
River Ouse And Rawcliffe Ings DrainRAWCLIFFE YORK/STW
 Romanby/STW
 Scalby Mills
North Sea (Via Long Sea Outfall)SCARBOROUGH/STW
North Sea (Via Long Sea Outfall)SCARBOROUGH/STW
River OuseSELBY/NO 2 STW
River OuseSELBY/NO 2 STW
Upper Fox DrainSherburn in Elmet/STW
Trib Of River DerwentSTAMFORD BRIDGE/NO 2 STW
 Tadcaster/Trade STW
 Tadcaster/Trade STW
 Tadcaster/Trade STW
 Tadcaster/Trade STW
 Tadcaster/Trade STW
River Don (Tidal)Thorne/STW
River DearneWath on dearne/STW
Norton BeckWath Ripon/STW
Norton BeckWath Ripon/STW
River DonWharncliffe Side/STW
River DonWharncliffe Side/STW
North Sea (Via Sea Outfall)Whitby/STW
North Sea (Via Sea Outfall)Whitby/STW
Tributary of the River RotherWoodall/STW
Mill DykeAdwick/No 2 STW
North Sea (Via Long Sea Outfall)BRIDLINGTON/STW
North Sea (Via Long Sea Outfall)BRIDLINGTON/STW
River CalderCALDER VALE/STW
River CalderCALDER VALE/STW
River CalderCALDER VALE/STW
Humber EstuaryHULL/STW
Humber EstuaryHULL/STW
Humber EstuaryHULL/STW
Thames Water Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
River KennetBROAD HINTON
Froxfield StreamFroxfield
Wessex Water Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
Back StreamBishops Lydeard . Sewage Treatment Works
Bristol Avon (Semington Bk to By Bk)Bradford-On-Avon . Sewage Treatment Works
Marden – conf Cowage Bk to conf R Avon (Brist)Calne . Sewage Treatment Works
SomerChilcompton . Sewage Treatment Works
Avon (Brist) conf R Marden to conf Semington BkChippenham Blackwell Hams Sewage Treatment Works
Bulkington Drove w/c source to conf Semington BkErlestoke Erlestoke Park Sewage Treatment Works
Isle – Cad Bk to Fivehead RiverIlton Ashford Farm (Near) Sewage Treatment Works
Bristol Avon (By Bk to Netham Weir)Keynsham . Sewage Treatment Works
Parrett – R Yeo to West Sedgemoor DrainLangport Portfield Lane Sewage Treatment Works
Avon (Brist) conf R Marden to conf Semington BkMelksham . Sewage Treatment Works
Bristol Avon (By Bk to Netham Weir)Saltford Mead Lane Sewage Treatment Works
Summerham BrookSeend . Sewage Treatment Works
YeoSherborne West Mill Lane Sewage Treatment Works
Sherston AvonSherston . Sewage Treatment Works
Stour (Middle u/s Pimperne Brook)Sturminster Newton Opp Rixon Close Sewage Treatment Works
Avon (Brist) conf Tetbury Avon to conf R MardenSutton Benger . Sewage Treatment Works
Tetbury Avon – source to conf unnamed tribTetbury . Sewage Treatment Works
Bristol Avon (Semington Bk to By Bk)Trowbridge Bradford Road Sewage Treatment Works
Not part of a river WB catchmentWatchet . Sewage Treatment Works
Tone – Wellington to TauntonWellington Tone Sewage Treatment Works
Keward BrookWells . Sewage Treatment Works
Not part of a river WB catchmentWeymouth . Sewage Treatment Works
Yeo Us Over ComptonYeovil Sherborne Road (Pen Mill) Sewage Treatment Works
Anglian Water Risk Assessment
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
SCARROW BECKALDBOROUGH-THWAITE HILL FM STW
ASH BROOKASHBROOK STW
RIVER WAVENEYBECCLES-MARSH LANE STW
RIVER BUREBELAUGH STW
RIVER IVELBIGGLESWADE STW
RIVER BLACKWATERBOCKING STW
RIVER LITTLE OUSEBRANDON STW
R BUREBRISTON STW
R.WAVENEY NTBROCKDISH-BUNGAY RD STW
RIVER GREAT OUSEBUCKINGHAM STW
ESSEX & SUFF WC PIPECHELMSFORD STW
NORTH SEACLACTON-HOLLAND HAVEN STW
RIVER BLACKWATERCOGGESHALL STW
R BURECOLTISHALL LT HAUTBOIS RD STW
DEDHAM MILL TRAILDEDHAM STW
GOSNALLS BROOKEAST BERGHOLT STW
ELY OUSE NTELY STW
CORNARD BLACK BROOKGREAT CORNARD STW
ALCONBURY BROOKGREAT GIDDING STW
R ANTHORNING-KNACKERS WOOD STW
RIVER NENEISLIP STW
ROMAN RIVERLAYER DE LA HAYE STW
WOMACK WATERLUDHAM-WALTON HALL STW
MARSTON BROOK NTMARSTON MORETAINE STW
R. LARKMILDENHALL STW
RIVER STOURNAYLAND STW
RIVER GIPPINGNEEDHAM MARKET STW
RUTLAND WATEROAKHAM STW
DOBBS BECKRACKHTH-THESPRINGS WROXRD STW
RIVER IVELSANDY STW
TRIB OF RIVER CAMSAWSTON STW
FOXES BECKSOUTHREPPS-LOWER ST STW
RIVER ANTSTALHAM STW
RIVER WELLANDSTAMFORD STW
REACH LODE NTSWAFFHAM PRIOR STW
L OUSETHETFORD STW
R TOVE NTWAPPENHAM STW
TIDAL RIVER ORWELLIPSWICH-CLIFF QUAY RAEBURN ST
United Utilities Risk Assessment:
Receiving WatercourseSite Name
Eden – Scandal Beck to LyvennetAppleby WwTW
Dane (Cow Brook to Wheelock)Congleton WwTW
GlazeIrlam WwTW
Weaver (Dane to Frodsham)Northwich WwTW
Weaver (Marbury Brook to Barnett Brook)Winsford WwTW

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