Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, Jonson Cox, Ofwat chair and Emma Howard Boyd, Environment Agency chair are warning that sewage in water is a growing public health problem and are calling for water companies to take the initiative and go faster in tackling storm sewage discharges.

In a joint opinion piece which first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, they said that while no-one expected river water to be of drinking standard, where people swim or children play they should not expect significant doses of human coliforms if they ingest water, commenting:

“Raw sewage from storm overflows and continuous discharge of waste containing viable organisms from sewage treatment works is an increasing problem. This is a serious public health issue for government and regulators and it is clear that the water companies are not doing enough. The public health dangers are in addition to the ecological and environmental impact which forms the basis for much regulation…rivers, seas and waterways should therefore be free from sewage to reduce risk to the public.”

The opinion piece identifies 2 major issues the water companies need to tackle - which both have solutions - as follows:

Raw sewage discharge from the sewage network and in particular storm overflows

The CMO and the regulators say that after the Environment Agency required the water industry to install monitors on overflows, the data shows that their use is now not exceptional They acknowledge that whilst zero discharges are technically achievable the cost of this may not be justified; however reducing the frequency down to genuine storms should be a minimum expectation.

Solutions to getting storm overflows back to only functioning only in very high rainfall conditions involve better operational management, innovation and investment.

Coliforms from the continuous normal discharge from sewage works

Eliminating discharges of coliforms from sewage works upstream of popular recreational areas will go a long way to reducing human faecal infective organisms downstream, according to the authors. This has been achieved for seaside beaches at coastal works by use of ultraviolet treatment, while other forms of less energy-intensive treatment are in trial or development. “These options need to be pushed forward by companies with urgency,” the article says.

Acknowledging that implementing the solutions will “inevitably require investment to boost resilience and capacity in the sewerage system, the CMO and the water sector regulators are emphasising it is not just a question of money. Saying that “preventive engineering, better sewer management, innovation and commitment” are also needed, they highlight the fact that “we have 2 stretches of river in England and Wales with bathing water status. There are over 500 in France.”

They conclude by saying:

“The principal public health responsibility for ensuring human faeces and viable human faecal bacteria do not get into waterways people might use recreationally, rest squarely with the water companies and their directors.

“Ministers have already signalled they want significant action, requiring companies to deliver a multi-billion pound programme to tackle storm sewage discharges. Companies should take the initiative and go faster. Regulators will hold companies to account. It is time for wastewater companies to act. It will be a matter of choice if they do not.”