A WATER supply company says it is planning the 'biggest' programme of storm overflow reduction after thousands of sewage overflows were reported in Barrow last year.

Figures from the Environment Agency show storm overflows were used 1,038 times within Barrow's local authority boundaries in 2022, discharging for a total of around 4,549 hours.

All of these spills were from United Utilities's network and were recorded in places such as Walney Channel, Mill Beck and Ormsgill Reservoir.

The figures show that in 2022, the sewer storm overflow in Abbey Road spilt 204 times for 606 hours, discharging into the Mill Beck.

In the same year, the sewer storm overflow in Graving Dock Pumping spilt 103 times for 56.84 hours, discharging into the Walney Channel.

Storm overflows normally happen when the sewage system is at risk of being overwhelmed – such as after a heavy rain or during higher groundwater levels.

In these cases, water companies may need to release excess water and sewage into rivers and the sea to prevent water from backing up into the streets and people's homes.

This impacts the quality of the natural water sources, with some charities alleging storm overflows are being misused and under-reported.

These figures may not provide a full picture of the amount of water pollution in the area – Barrow may also be impacted by overspills from areas it shares water sources with.

The Rivers Trust said it was particularly concerned by storm overflows being used during hot periods – a risk as England faces a heatwave this week.

Tessa Wardley, director of communications and advocacy at the charity, said: "Discharging untreated sewage in dry weather is bad for both human health and river health – lower river flows mean more concentrated pollutants at a time when more people want to enjoy their rivers."

"Although a problem in their own right, these discharges are also the 'canary in the coalmine' pointing to greater problems in our sewerage and river systems. This could be blockages in the system, groundwater seeping into broken pipes, misconnections, or just poor management choices." 

United Utilities saw 69,245 overspills across its network in 2022 – although 13% of the company's facilities did not report overspill data last year.

A United Utilities spokesperson said: "With the largest combined sewer network in the UK and highest levels of rainfall, we are planning the biggest programme of storm overflow reduction in the country to meet the new requirements of the Environment Act.

"Between now and 2030 we will have invested more than £3 billion to tackle the issue, with more to follow."