Councillors call for urgent action to tackle sewage in Rotherham’s rivers
Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for urgent action to tackle sewage pollution affecting Rotherham’s rivers – including withholding bonuses for water company bosses.
Citing alarming data from the Environment Agency, which shows a record 3.61 million hours of raw sewage spilled into England’s rivers and seas in 2024, councillors are demanding that both water companies and government authorities take stronger steps to address the crisis.
Rotherham Borough Council will consider a motion at the next full council meeting on April 9, proposed by Councillor Drew Tarmey and seconded by Councillor Adam Carter which calls upon the government to increase in the budget for the Environment Agency to strengthen its ability to monitor and regulate water quality.
The motion notes that, according to Environment Agency data, all rivers in England are now polluted, with water companies collectively responsible for spilling raw sewage for a record 3.61 million hours into the environment in 2024.
The motion cites numerous incidents of sewage spills in Rotherham, including 203 times in Ravenfield, 137 times near Greasbrough, and others in Dinnington, Anston, Letwell, and Eastwood.
The motion calls for the withholding of bonuses for senior executives until the sewage problem is addressed, and expresses concern over rising water bills, with residents expected to face an average increase of £123 this year.
The motion highlights that only a small percentage of pollution complaints result in penalties, suggesting a lack of effective enforcement.
In light of these concerns, the motion calls for the council’s chief executive to write to the CEOs of Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water, urging them to take immediate action to address the impact of wastewater discharges on local rivers.
Additionally, the motion requests that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs be asked to increase the budget of the Environment Agency, and that the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee be urged to advocate for stronger enforcement of existing regulatory powers.