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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.