To expect raw sewage not to be discharged into waterways

[Charleymouse]

Please sign the petition to stop raw sewage being discharged into waterways.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/582336

Isn’t there a specific petitions board for this kind of stuff?

The government has responded on this, it’s pretty much always a last resort. What is the alternative? Let it wash into people’s homes?

The deadline is today, I don’t think it will get another 15,000 signatures in time.

@SoniaFouler

Isn’t there a specific petitions board for this kind of stuff?

Yes there is; I way hoping for more traffic so plumped for AIBU instead.

@MiloAndEddie

The government has responded on this, it’s pretty much always a last resort. What is the alternative? Let it wash into people’s homes?

It is meant to be a last resort yes. I think there are potentially some discrepancies about what constitutes a last resort though. No obviously shouldn't be allowed to go into peoples homes. A bit of awareness and common sense wouldn't go amiss from people about what they flush!

I don’t really understand what this petition is actually asking to be honest.

In my view there should be a petition asking the government to increase funding to the Environment Agency (which was stripped to the bare bones) in order to give them the resources to investigate and prosecute the discharges (because the discharges which cause the most environmental damage are (usually) already illegal, they don’t need a law banning them because it already exists!)

Signed already. We need to do better, like you say it’s meant to be a last resort but happens more often than it should.

Isn't this happening because there's a shortage of the chemicals to treat it with? I would assume that qualifies as a last resort?

It's not good but what's the alternative?

What else do you propose they do when there’s flash flooding scenarios?

The alternative is to build larger storm tanks to hold raw sewage for processing when it can’t go through the treatment works as normal. This will cost the water companies money to do, but they won’t do it whilst they have a free pass to discharge to rivers/sea whenever there’s heavy rain. Another thing that would help is heavier fines if they do discharge into rivers/sea when there isn’t a big storm, which happens.

Great to see over 90,000 signatures on the petition. Water companies across the IK dump raw sewage into rivers regularly.

See: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/government-failing-to-stop-sewage-discharge-into-english-rivers-says-charity.

They take advantage of a complicated permits system which allows for some overflow spillage to justify a whole sale lack of investment resulting in regular sewage dumping. It is extremely difficult for private individuals to bring claims to stop the dumping because of a pre existing legal precedent on this issue involving common law nuisance.

The law in this area is not fit for purpose and this Bill is desperately needed. I hope it is successful and also hope more awareness can be raised regarding this issue.

Isn’t there a specific petitions board for this kind of stuff?

Why would you say that? It’s doing no harm here and it’s an issue that needs addressing.

I’ve just signed.

Signed

@MiloAndEddie

The government has responded on this, it’s pretty much always a last resort. What is the alternative? Let it wash into people’s homes?

Upgrase the sewer system and systens for desling with groundwater so it's not necessary?

@SheWoreYellow

The deadline is today, I don’t think it will get another 15,000 signatures in time.

I would like to think in part to Mumsnet it is now almost there at 100k

It has crept up this evening.

I don't have the answers but hopefully an investigation into the extent of it and some of the initiatives mentioned on here we can get a solution. The effective treatment of sewage and less incidents can only be a good thing.

The petition has reached its target of 100 000, good news.

Thanks to everyone that has signed

Thanks for the information notfrozen

Signed

@SinnerLikeMe

The petition has reached its target of 100 000, good news.

Brilliant news.

Still creeping up as well.

Hi, we've moved this to our Petitions section.

Someone actually reported it. 🙄 What a loser. It’s weird how some people get so annoyed and negative about environmental issues. Oh well, it’s reached it’s target before it was moved. Thanks for posting it here OP.

@ClaraMumsnet

Hi, we've moved this to our Petitions section.

Thank you Clara

I realise it probably should have gone there but wanted to get the traffic as the deadline was looming.

I think the Mumsnet members have had a massive impact and helped generate enough responses so it has now met the target.

@SinnerLikeMe

Someone actually reported it. 🙄 What a loser. It’s weird how some people get so annoyed and negative about environmental issues. Oh well, it’s reached it’s target before it was moved. Thanks for posting it here OP.

I know.

But at least they let it stand until it had met the target which I am grateful for whether it was a conscious decision or not.

What do you think of the government's response posted a few months ago?
This situation is going to take decades and billions of pounds to fix, sbd an awful lot of concrete & carbon emissions.
The government need to take our water companies out of the hands of private pension funds, nationalise and invest, and enforce through a properly resourced regulator.
But they won't. Because its not in their interest, nor in their power really.
This well-meaning petition will not make a jot of difference unfortunately.