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Jo is an award-winning travel journalist and hiking holiday enthusiast. Her specialisms include sustainable travel and money-saving advice.
Many of us will be heading to a UK beach this summer. But reports of untreated sewage being dumped in our seas and rivers could stop you from braving a dip.
In 2025, water companies discharged raw sewage into England’s waterways nearly 300,000 times, according to government data.
Unlucky swimmers have reported finding themselves engulfed by effluent while bathing in our oceans and rivers. Some are falling ill as a result.
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Water companies are only supposed to use sewer overflows – which empty untreated sewage into our rivers and seas – in exceptional circumstances, or during periods of heavy rainfall, to stop water backing up into homes.
But even in dry weather, water companies discharged sewage for 187,000 hours - including 7,885 hours into bathing waters – a practice which is potentially illegal.
And all of this comes amid huge rises in water bills and while water company executives continue to pay themselves millions of pounds in bonuses.
Thankfully there are ways to check the water quality and whether there has been a recent sewage spill at your favourite swim spots.
You can make sure your trip to the coast won’t be blighted by pollution before leaving the house. The Safer Seas & Rivers Service app alerts users in real time when untreated sewage is discharged into the sea or when water quality is affected by extreme weather.
The free-to-use app covers 200 locations across the UK. Just type the name of the beach into the search bar to check if any water quality alerts are in place before you travel.
Always be extra cautious after spells of heavy rainfall when surface water is washed into our rivers and seas. This can contain pollution from urban and agricultural run-off, as well as leakage from septic tanks. Can’t find your local beach on the app? The Environment Agency website Swimfo allows you to check water quality at more than 400 locations.
Signs at the beach will also alert you if the sea is potentially unsafe for swimming. You should wait a minimum of 48 hours before entering the water after a sewage spill or a period of heavy rainfall.
Wild swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding have grown in popularity in recent years on our waterways
However, a report by The River’s Trust found that 85% of England’s river stretches fell below 'good ecological standards' – far worse than in Scotland or Wales.
See the rivers that were subjected to the most sewage spills with the organisation's interactive map.
All water companies should provide data showing recent storm overflows, to keep the public better informed.
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Pollution is not just spoiling our favourite swim spots, it is destroying delicate ecosystems and killing our wildlife. It also has the potential to make us sick.
The pathogens in human sewage can cause stomach upsets, like gastroenteritis and E.coli – with symptoms including vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever and diarrhoea.
But swallowing contaminated water isn’t the only danger. Cuts and grazes can allow bacteria and viruses to enter the body, which can cause infection. Bathing in polluted water can also trigger ear and eye infections.
Read more on why our rivers and seas are so polluted
Consumers in England and Wales face a sharp rise in their water bills to update their infrastructure and stop sewage spills.
The average bill will go up by £19 a year on average for five years – a total of £94 – after industry regulator Ofwat gave permission for the price hikes. The exact figures, which exclude inflation, will vary depending on where you live.
While water companies have signed up to government reforms to clean up our waterways, they have already argued that the proposed price rises won’t be enough to fix the problem.