The water companies have come in for serious criticism in yesterday’s Sunday Times, which has accused them of dumping unlimited amounts of raw sewage from 3500 overflow pipes into more than 80 rivers and along sections of the coast.

According to the Sunday Times, the unregulated sewer overflow pipes, which are predominantly on the river network, are a throwback to privatisation in 1989 when more than 20,000 outlets were granted “deemed consent” as an interim measure to ensure the assets of the new companies were lawful. The newspaper said that information obtained by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) under freedom of information laws are still operating without any environmental conditions.

The report said that the 3500 unregulated overflows in effect mean water companies can pollute watercourses without risk of prosecution, with the water industry “free to poison beaches.” Overflows highlighted in the report include more than 60 operated by South West Water and 250 operated by Yorkshire Water.

Both the MCS and the Anglers’ Conservation Association have accused the Environment Agency of failing to tackle the water industry over pollution from overflows. A separate editorial column said that “water companies must be stopped from pumping sewage into the sea.” The editorial called for the Government and MPs to take decisive action by demanding that water companies stop the pollution. It also called on them to urge the Environment Agency to “get tough” and give it greater powers to impose massive fines.