Untreated sewage was discharged into Englands coastal bathing waters for more than 160,000 hours last year, according to figures collated by the Liberal Democrats to mark the start of the summer sea-swimming season.
The party compiled data using Environment Agency figures for 2021 discharges and found that water companies released rawsewage 25,000 times into designated waters off the English coast.
Figures collated by the campaign group Top of the Poops reveal that when also including the bathing waters in Wales, water companies released untreated sewage for 217,804 hours.
The bathing water designations which were created by the EU are supposed to highlight the countrys cleanest and safest waters for the public. Signs at bathing beaches indicate the quality of the water, which can range from good to bad.
United Utilities released untreated wastewater into the sea for 75,000 hours, making it one of the longest discharges to bathing waters. Morecambe South beach was the worst-hit bathing site.
Southern Water was last year fined a record-breaking 90m for dumping billions of litres raw sewage into Kent and Hampshire coastal waters. The company was responsible for 20,367 hours worth of untreated sewage releases into designated bathing spots along the coast.
South West Water discharged sewage to bathing beauty spots for 43.901 hours. Their longest discharge was at Ilfracombes Wildersmouth Beach which lasted 1,833 hour.
These figures were released on Sunday as the official start of the sea-swimming seasons. This marks the beginning of an annual monitoring of bathing water quality, which allows the public to be informed about the water at beaches that they visit. The season runs from June through September.
Tim Farron, spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats rural affairs, stated: It is now, or never, to stop families from swimming in sewage contaminated waters this summer.
Children should be able to enjoy Britain’s beautiful coastlines and lakes. Yet, Conservative ministers allow water companies to continue operating shameful sewage dumps. This is an environmental scandal.
This data was released as many parts the UK prepare for the vote in local elections on Thursday.
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The Liberal Democrats have called for a sewage tax on water companies profits to be used to clean up coastlines, rivers and lakes.
Environment Agency data shows that water companies released raw wastewater into all English rivers and coastal waters for more than 2.7 million hours in 2021. According to the Lib Dems, the companies made 2.8bn in operating profit and paid 27m in bonuses.
Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of the campaigning charity Surfers Against Sewage, said: Water companies are getting away with blue murder repeatedly dumping raw sewage into areas of special recreational interest, with seeming impunity.
Our beach-loving population shouldn’t have to deal with the torrent of sewage, pathogens or pharmaceuticals that is pumped out via water company pipes. Surfers Against Sewage is a group that has been challenging the water industry since decades. They demand that they put people and planet ahead of excessive profits and executive bonuses. We call for a new decade of energy and ambition to clean up and preserve all our blue spaces and bathing waters.