Water companies in the UK have been urged by the information watchdog to be more transparent about their sewage discharges into waterways. In a letter addressed to utility firms in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the UK information commissioner John Edwards requested that they proactively release data on the number and duration of sewage outflows every month, rather than waiting for individual requests from the public.
According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the current process of requesting data through environmental information regulations is time-consuming and could be streamlined if the data was made readily available. This move would not only benefit members of the public but also be more cost-effective for the companies themselves.
The ICO also highlighted the negative impact that concerns about sewage pollution have had on consumer confidence in these water companies. As the only option for consumers, it is the responsibility and legal obligation of these companies to ensure that the public can have full confidence in their services. The ICO stated, “The public has no choice but to use our water companies, therefore these companies should ensure they have every confidence in doing so. The current concerns about sewage pollution have dented this confidence, so we’re calling on these companies to be open about their activities to help rebuild this trust.”
Analysis of official data found that on average, sewage was dumped into rivers, lakes, and beaches designated as “safe to bathe in” 86 times a day in 2023. Furthermore, figures from the Environment Agency showed that discharges of untreated sewage by water companies had doubled from 1.8 million hours in 2022 to a record 3.6 million in 2023.
The UK information commissioner also emphasized the importance of timely and proactive publication of this information, not only for the benefit of the public but also for the companies themselves. Responding to individual requests can be a time-consuming process, and the ICO believes that releasing the data on a regular basis would be a more efficient and cost-effective approach.
The call for transparency and openness in the water industry was echoed by the chief executive of the water regulator Ofwat, David Black. He stated, “One of the pre-requisites for building public trust is a culture of openness. They should move to embrace open data as a matter of course, and they should be more open in sharing their plans and progress.”
The information commissioner also addressed a previous defense used by water companies to avoid releasing data, citing ongoing investigations as a reason for withholding information. However, a tribunal ruling in May found that this argument is no longer valid, and information could be disclosed even if it is part of an ongoing investigation.
Mr. Edwards reminded the water companies of this ruling in his letter, stating, “I also remind you of the presumption in favour of disclosure contained in the EIR [Environmental Information Regulations], both in engaging the exception and in carrying out the public interest test.”
Jo Parker, vice president of engineering at the Institute of Water and chair of the Water and Sanitation Community Advisory Board of the Institution of Civil Engineers, also emphasized the need for the water industry to regain the support and trust of the public. In an interview with news outlet Sky News last week, she stated, “It is important that all parties – the water industry, professional bodies, government, regulators, NGOs, and media – work to restore faith in our water industry.”
