Despite Billions In Bailouts, Thames Water Managed To Boost Its Raw Sewage Discharges By 50% In 2024
A record 50% more raw sewage was discharged into rivers in England by Thames Water last year compared with the previous 12 months, data seen by the Guardian reveals. Thames, the largest of the privatised water companies, which is teetering on the verge of collapse with debts of £19bn, was responsible for almost 300,000 hours of raw sewage pouring into waterways in 2024 from its ageing sewage works, according to the data. This compares with 196,414 hours of raw effluent dumped in 2023.
The data, obtained by the analyst Peter Hammond in answer to an environmental information request to the company, comes after Thames Water won approval from the court of appeal for a £3bn emergency debt bailout to avoid collapse. Environmental campaigners and a small group of Thames’s creditors unsuccessfully challenged the bailout loan on the grounds it was not in the public interest and would continue a “Thames Water debt doom loop”. They argued temporary nationalisation under a special administration regime would be a better option.
The raw sewage discharge data from event duration monitors on Thames Water combined sewer overflows, pumping stations and treatment works reveals the scale of the investment challenge ahead to fix its crumbling infrastructure. To pay for the investment Thames Water is seeking to raise household bills by 59% over the next five years in an appeal to the Competiton and Markets Authority, far higher than the 35% that the regulator, Ofwat, has approved.
Thames Water’s sewage treatment works were responsible for almost 90% of the 298,081 hours of raw sewage it released into rivers in 2024, the data shows. The works are already subject to a criminal Environment Agency (EA) investigation into illegal sewage dumping and a parallel inquiry by Ofwat, which has ordered the water company to move at pace to put things right.
EDIT
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/18/thames-water-data-reveals-raw-sewage-discharges-rivers-2024