It’s a consumer rights and pollution issue. We pay for the water company to take away surface-foul water to be treated at local sewage works. This amounts to around 45-50% of our annual bill. If the companies dump that waste water into the river or sea, without treatment, they are ripping us off.
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Water companies have dumped sewage into rivers or the sea for years. Even in the height of summer during periods of low rainfall. It is more profitable for them to occasionally sluice the sewage, when they think they can get away with it, rather than treating it. If they were not just fined for any illegal dumping but forced to refund for treatment they haven’t done, it may make them a little more hesitant to carry on this disgusting practice.