There is great public concern over the recently released statistics detailing the sewage discharges into our local rivers by Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water.

The number of occasions when this happens and the total numbers of hours involved show that these discharges have now become routine practice, rather than an emergency response to extreme weather events.

Since privatisation, water companies in England have paid out an average of £2bn per year in dividends to shareholders, paid out huge salaries and massive bonuses to executives whilst ignoring the need to invest in their creaking infrastructure.

The effect of the horrific levels of sewage discharge into our rivers is seen in a negative impact to local wildlife coupled with the detrimental effect on the quality of life for residents who live near rivers.  It also restricts the enjoyment of water-based activities for everyone.

With over 1,700 separate releases of sewage into our rivers and streams for a total of over 10,500 hours, Rotherham Labour Councillors have passed a motion calling on the government to act more quickly than they currently propose to stop this dreadful problem.

Cllr Dave Sheppard, who proposed the motion said “It is disgraceful that water companies are allowed to continue poisoning our rivers as the release of sewage becomes business as usual for them.  Bill payers should not be penalised for their choice to pay billions every year to shareholders instead of investing in their infrastructure to prevent this problem from happening.”

The motion passed is as follows:

This council believes:

That government inaction has allowed Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water, along with the other water companies in England, to prioritise their profitability as a business over their responsibilities to their customers and the environment.

Whilst this affects local areas to different degrees, as rivers flow across local authority and geographical boundaries, the government has to lead on this issue and provide a strong national response.

The rules on sewage discharges must be tightened and the Environment Agency needs to be given the resources to monitor and enforce on any breaches of the rules.

This council resolves to:

Write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, requesting that the government set out an ambitious strategy to reduce and ultimately eliminate sewage discharges into rivers and the sea. The financial cost of this programme must not rest on the shoulders of bill payers whilst at the same time these water companies continue to pay out dividends on their profits.

Ask our Improving Places Select Committee to invite Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency to attend a meeting to explain what measures they are taking to reduce sewage discharges into our rivers now, plus outlining their future plans to address this issue in the medium to long-term, with annual updates on their progress to follow.