91热爆

According to figures released to the 91热爆 there are over 500 unregulated 'sewer overflows' draining into Midlands rivers. This is out of 3000 such overflows nationwide.
They have no monitoring or legal limits imposed on them.

These overflows have been linked to several pollution incidents which have lead to the death of hundreds of fish.
Sewage released through the pipes causes the oxygen levels to drop in a river and that kills the fish. But without restrictions there's no legal redress for the damage to fishing rights or the environment.

Now the water companies are resisting efforts by the Environment Agency to impose restrictions on them.

Overflows

Unregulated sewer overflows are a legacy of privatisation. They are effectively emergency valves that allow the release of raw or diluted sewage into rivers to avoid potential problems in drains.
They were temporarily lifted out of restrictions just before water privatisation...听 a temporary arrangement that has lasted for twenty years...

If you want to see if one of the overflow valves is near you, you can see the full list which is compiled on the webpage linked to below:-

The Fish Legal organisation has been campaigning to reintroduce restrictions on these overflows and now the Environment Agency has agreed.
But Guy Linley-Adams, from Fish Legal, says they were "amazed" to discover six of the big ten water companies appealing against the revised regulations: "...which is an absolutely shameless position to find themselves in."

The appeal will be heard before the Planning Inspectorate early in 2010.

Severn Trent

Severn Trent, the company responsible for water and sewage across Staffordshire, say their appeal "is on the technical basis of the consents issued by EA.听 It does not mean that we have any intention of causing pollution from these combined sewer overflows now or in the future. Over the past 10 years we have spent over 拢250 million on improving combined sewer overflows."

Fish Legal say because these overflows are unregulated it's very difficult to know how much of a problem they are - because no one is monitoring them.

We'll bring you the results of the planning appeal in January.