Petition text

Why is this important?

The Environment Agency reports that in the last year, raw sewage - including human waste and wet wipes - was discharged into our coastal waters and rivers in England more than 400,000 times and for more than three million hours. Although this measure is currently legal to prevent flooding when it rains, it has become a daily occurrence, and some water companies have even been found guilty of releasing sewage illegally during dry weather.

So what's the solution? Upgrading our Victorian sewage system and making it fit for the 21st century. Water companies have made some commitments but they are dragging their feet in making the necessary changes quickly enough to stop the dumping of untreated sewage on our coasts and in our waterways.

Water companies say that they will pass any costs for the necessary work onto their customers - this is despite our household water bills increasing by 40% and water companies giving billions in profits to shareholders and bosses in recent years.

Whether you use our coasts and rivers for recreation or rely on them for your livelihood, the regular dumping of raw sewage impacts all of our lives and pollutes our precious ecosystem - all in the name of profit.

So, will you join us in calling on water companies to clean up their act by properly investing in upgrading our creaking sewage system and ending the dumping of untreated waste as soon as possible?