Sewage Spills Surge: 7,280 Dry Day Discharges in 2026

Suspected illegal raw sewage discharges into waterways by water companies have escalated dramatically. During the first five months of 2026, a staggering 7,280 instances of raw sewage being dumped into rivers and seas during dry weather were recorded. This practice, considered illegal pollution, is happening despite regulators' promises of stricter enforcement.

This alarming figure is a significant increase from the 8,576 dry spill pollution discharges reported by water companies in England and Wales throughout the entirety of 2025. Whistleblower Robert Forrester suggests these 'dry day spills' are likely deliberate and illegal, indicating water companies prioritize profit over environmental protection. He also expressed that current regulations fail to deter these actions.

South West Water, operating in Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset, reported 1,299 dry day discharges between January and May 2026. This contrasts sharply with their 2,451 discharges for the entire year of 2025. The company stated that overflow activations can occur for various reasons and are not solely determined by rainfall.

Industry representatives have called the figures unverified and premature for classification as dry spills. However, they acknowledge that no spill is acceptable and that investment is being tripled to halve storm overflow spills by 2030. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has deemed the situation unacceptable and reiterated efforts to hold water companies accountable.