Thames Water on Track for Record Raw Sewage Spills Amid Public Outcry
Thames Water is projected to exceed previous years in raw sewage discharges, with nearly 79,000 hours recorded in 2026. This comes amidst public outrage over the water industry’s operations, highlighted by a recent TV drama. Thames Water, burdened with £20 billion in debt, faces renewed scrutiny for its environmental impact and illegal sewage discharges. Calls for re-nationalization are intensifying as the company plans major upgrades to its wastewater systems over the next five years.
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Thames Water is projected to dump more raw sewage into rivers than at any time this decade, with almost 79,000 hours of discharges recorded in 2026. This follows heavy rainfall overwhelming its sewage network despite promises of upgrades for its 16 million customers.
The company, heavily indebted at £20 billion, has faced criticism for illegal discharges, with a report indicating at least 8,499 illegal events from 2021 to 2025. Average water bills in England and Wales are set to rise by 5.4% to £639 from April, while over a third of these bills are used for servicing debt and dividends instead of infrastructure improvements. Thames Water is reviewing recent findings and plans significant upgrades to its wastewater network over the next five years.
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