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Water pollution: facts & figures

Shocking sewage pollution facts

Our wild blue spaces are under attack. Greed and profiteering are polluting our seas, lakes and rivers at an unprecedented rate.

Here are the facts and figures behind the scandal:

  • 994,499

    sewage discharges estimated across the UK in 2024*

  • 1,853

    sickness reports submitted to us by water users in 2024 - only a small fraction of the true total

  • £74.2 billion

    dividends paid out by water companies in England and Wales since privatisation,instead of fixing ageing infrastructure

  • ZERO

    water company execs jailed for environmental crimes, despite government promises and public harm

* Estimated number for 2024, when accounting for under-reporting in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Official figures put the number of ‘confirmed’ discharges at 592,478.

More water pollution facts

The scale of sewage pollution 

994,499 – the estimated number of sewage discharges in the UK in 2024 when taking into account underreporting in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

  • This is almost one discharge every 30 seconds.  

 592,478 – the number of confirmed sewage discharges in 2024. This breaks down to:  

  • 450,398 discharges in England.  
  • 118,276 discharges in Wales. 
  • 24,398 discharges in Scotland. *  
  • 2,697 discharges in Northern Ireland. * 

*Both these figures are likely much lower than the true number.  

Impact of water pollution on human health 

1,853 – the number of sickness reports SAS received from water users in 2024 – this is likely only a small fraction of the true total.  

  • 3,425 – the number of sick days linked to sickness reports we received in 2024.  
  • £493,200 – the amount lost in productivity resulting from these cases.  

 6,724 – the number of sickness reports SAS has received between 2020-2025.  

  • 10,360 – the number of sick days linked to these sickness reports.  

 11.6 million – the number pf people who took part in outdoor water sports in 2023  

  • This gives an indication of the scale of the potential exposure to sewage pollution.  

 Water industry finance 

£74.2 billion – the amount paid out in dividends to shareholders by water companies in England and Wales since privatisation.  

 £1.2 billion – the total value of dividends paid out to shareholders by the private water companies in the 2023-24 financial year.  

 £69.2 billion – the value of the debt racked up by the private water companies since privatisation.  

 36% – the average amount water bills are expected to rise by 2030 under current plans.  

  • £160 – the extra amount the average customer will be paying in 2030 towards their water bills under these plans.  

 35p out of every £1 – the amount of the average customer’s water bill that goes towards shareholder dividends or financing debt.  

Read our latest Water Quality Report

The health of the ocean and rivers has never been worse. Polluted waters represent a major threat to our health, the welfare of our wildlife, and the long-term future of our ecosystems. We believe it is a human right to expect to be able to swim, surf, paddle and bathe in safety without getting sick. And if you care about the UK’s natural environment, it’s time to take a stand and demand a cleaner, fresher future for our waterways.

Our waterways are polluted by a chemical cocktail of sewage, agricultural run off and contaminants from roads, urban developments and landfill. One of the main source of sewage pollution is through Sewer Overflows which include Combined Sewage Overflows (CSOs) and pumping stations. Water companies are legally allowed to discharge untreated wastewater through sewer overflows during periods of heavy rain, but we’ve found they are being used on an alarmingly routine basis.  

The UK’s antiquated, outdated sewerage system is in a terrible state. It cannot cope with the combined problems of increasing population, urbanisation and climate change. The facts and figures on this page prove this.

Appallingly, the UK’s water users are as likely to become ill from seawater as they were in the 1990s, with conditions ranging from sore throats and upset stomachs to serious illnesses like gastroenteritis, hepatitis and E. coli. According to the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, people who swim or bodyboard in UK waters regularly are three times more likely to have antibiotic resistant E. coli in their guts.

Find out more

Help #EndSewagePollution

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