Headline figures:

450,398 discharges were counted, a 3% decrease compared to 2023

The total duration of spills was 3,614,428 – up 0.22% on 2023

The average number of spills for each CSO with monitoring data was 31

Today’s figures reflect the lack of progress in reducing the water industry’s reliance on storm overflows, with the number of spills decreasing slightly compared to 2023 and the duration slightly higher. The average number of spills for each storm overflow monitored is still more than 30, indicating that our water infrastructure is not coping with increasingly unsettled weather patterns. Our rivers are paying the price for this. 

Although not as wet as 2023, 2024 was one of England’s wettest years on record, so in the coming weeks our technical experts will be examining today’s data in further detail to gain a clearer picture of how our sewer system is functioning. And of course, we will be updating our Sewage Map, so please keep an eye on our channels for further insight in the coming days. 

Michelle Walker, Technical Director, adds: “Only 200 storm overflows were improved in England in the last year, so it is disappointing but  not surprising that we aren’t seeing significant reduction in the frequency or duration of untreated sewage spills yet. The water industry are improving 2,500 more over the next five years – urgency is needed so that we start to see significant improvement from 2025 onwards.

“We welcome the news that the Environment Agency will be undertaking many more investigations over the next year – regulatory scrutiny and stronger enforcement of the law is essential to ensure that our rivers stop paying the price for water company underinvestment and mismanagement of essential sewage services.”

Data on combined sewer overflows for 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-storm-overflow-spill-data-for-2024