Keep sewage out of homes and rivers and off beaches

Climate change, population growth and urban expansion are pushingEngland’s historic drainage systems to breaking point. In 2008/09 alone, there were over 14,000 events of untreated sewage being dumped directly into rivers and the sea. Although water companies promise significant investment, we need new sustainable approaches to improving sewer capacity and mitigating the impact of intermittent discharges. 

Reduce discharges of sewage into urban environments and ecologically sensitive areas. 

• By 2012, the Government should remove the automatic right to drain surface water to a public sewer by fully implementing the Flood and Water Management Act (2010).
• By 2012, manufacturers of domestic and industrial water appliances should introduce colour coding for foul and surface water pipes to avoid misconnections.
• By 2012, the Government and its agencies should identify those septic tanks that pose the greatest threat to the aquatic environment and, where owners do not rectify faults, take regulatory action.
• By 2014, Ofwat should increase economic incentives for meeting environmental quality objectives by using low-carbon solutions to sewer overloading, intermittent discharges and wastewater treatment.
• By 2015, the Government and its agencies should review operating conditions of all combined sewage outflows and ensure those most likely to cause damage are monitored and permits enforced.  

Blueprint members will work with industry, Government, local authorities and others to identify problem discharges and cost-effective, low-carbon solutions to tackle them.