Storm Overflows And The New Legislative Pressures

Investigating the changes, as well as the imperative of ensuring regulatory compliance in the short term and steps water companies can take to do so.

Over recent weeks water companies have faced further scrutiny in the press after excess sewage and rainwater caused by flooding continued to be discharged into seas around Britain. This adds to a sustained period over which discharges into waters have come under review.

The issue of storm overflows is not a new one; its current status reflecting the complexity of the problem. They are the result of a Victorian sewer infrastructure, operating as safety valves built into the combined sewer system. They discharge excess sewage and rainwater to rivers, lakes, or the sea when the sewer system is under strain, protecting properties from flooding and preventing sewage backing up into streets and homes.