Heavy rains cause outpouring of raw sewage into Dorset rivers.

Two days of heavy rain have caused a huge outpouring of raw sewage into Dorset’s rivers.

Wessex Water’s outdated system poured raw sewage into the rivers for several hours after downpours on Sunday and Monday.

Human waste poured into the rivers Avon, Stour, Piddle, Lidden and their many tributaries.

One of these overflow pipes is located in Iford playing field, just a few metres from busy pathways and football pitches.

The waste flows under a busy pathway directly into the River Avon.

Susanne Barker, 52, from Tuckton, who walks her dog near a sewage outlet in Iford playing field, said: “My dog likes to go in the water and some days the brown sludge on the top of the water is so bad, I can’t let her go in.”

It’s such a beauty spot down here and we can’t enjoy it because of the pollution.

A sewage outflow pipe in Iford paying field, which pumps raw sewage a few meters from where locals kids play and people walk their dogs. — *Combined Sewage Outflow pipe in Iford playing field, which flows into the river Avon. Credit: Jon Hopwood*

Raw sewage flows under this commonly used path, on its way to the river Avon. — *Raw sewage flows from the overflow pipe flows straight to this wooded area, on it’s way to the river Avon.*
*Credit: Jon Hopwood*

Sewage ends up here on the Avon, which flows directly into Christchurch Harbour. — *The sewage ends up flowing into the river Avon here, where Bournemouth Sea Cadets do their training. Credit: Jon Hopwood*

“It’s really upsetting. It’s such a beauty spot down here and we can’t enjoy it because of the pollution.”

England’s problematic sewage system

The heavy rains caused the huge outpouring of raw sewage into Dorset’s waterways, but it’s a national problem.

The English system operates on a design known as Combined Sewage Overflow, combining rainwater and sewage.

This means every time there is substantial rain the pipes overflow and pump both the rainwater and the raw sewage out at the same time.

Engineers built these systems decades ago, when England’s population was much smaller.

The effects of climate change have also been contributing to the problem.

A rise in global temperature since pre-industrial times means rains are less frequent, but heavier.

The system was built for a different climate — for lighter, steadier rain.

Chloe Peck, from campaign group River Action UK, said: “The system was built for a different climate — for lighter, steadier rain. Now we get these huge downpours after long dry spells, and the pipes just can’t cope.”

Profits over people

A Financial Times report in January stated since privatisation water companies have paid out £83 billion in dividends to its shareholders.

During the same time period those companies have acquired over £74 billion in debt.

Shareholders continue to take huge dividends while maintenance and repair work goes undone.

Pollution equals profit — and that profit matters way more than the environment, than people.

Chloe said: “Pollution equals profit — and that profit matters way more than the environment, than people. These companies have been allowed to extract billions while the infrastructure literally rots. They could fix the system, but it would cut into shareholder returns, so instead they dump sewage and call it legal.”

To see live results in your area visit: http://sewagemap.co.uk

To see more of BUzzs coverage around pollution and climate change visit: https://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/?s=pollution+climate+change+

To read the Financial Times report visit: https://www.ft.com/content/b641eeb1-6d19-420a-8628-ebf9fe3abfde?utm_source=chatgpt.com