Sewage pumped into River Colne as Thames Water launches map

The map shows where the UK’s largest water and wastewater company has discharged sewage into waterways and how long for, a move which has been praised as “a step in the right direction” towards openness.

As of this morning (January 4), the company’s monitors show discharge within the last 48 hours at the Maple Lodge sewage plant, near Maple Cross, which feeds into the River Colne.

View the live map here

The discharge lasted 60 hours and 45 minutes between December 31 and January 3.

There is also currently a discharge ongoing at the nearby Gerrards Cross treatment plant, into the River Misbourne, which has lasted 3 hours, and a number of other locations particularly around Oxfordshire.

Accurate sewage discharge data from water companies is made notoriously difficult to access and yet it’s never been more important to see it. Thames Water taking a step in the right direction - even though today’s stats are excruciating reading… https://t.co/FqCJDl5yvg

— Paul Murphy (@BBCPaulMurphy) January 3, 2023

Paul Jennings, chairman of the River Chess Association, said on Twitter: “Not the best day to launch your live sewage discharge map Thames Water but we encourage the openness. Let's work on getting that map consistently green.”

The BBC’s Paul Murphy replied, describing the stats as “an excruciating read”, but he agreed it is a “step in the right direction” to make the information available.

Read more:

• Affinity Water forced to pay out to customers over pollution and leaks
• Grandmother's ring stolen and papers ripped up in theft from car
• Family of six 'ill and at breaking point' in mould infested flat

“Accurate sewage discharge data from water companies is made notoriously difficult to access and yet it’s never been more important to see it,” he added.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: “Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us, but we also need to explain what is happening, and why. 

“After a successful trial in the Oxford area, we have decided to provide close to real-time information about storm discharges from all of our 468 permitted locations.

From the new live @thameswater sewage discharge map. This data from Maple Lodge Sewage Treatment Works on the River Colne @Colne_Valley. This is the plant that HS2 send their wastewater. So why would HS2 send waste water to a failing facility. Thank you for the pollution!!!!😡 pic.twitter.com/jqfTx8TO1C

— Paul Jennings (@PJennings88) January 3, 2023

"We are the first company to provide these alerts for inland waters and this ‘near real-time’ data is available to customers as a map on our website."

The company said that it is committed to halving the total annual duration of spills by 2030.

“Of course, what matters most is stopping the need for the discharges," the spokesperson added.

“We have a long way to go – and we certainly can’t do it on our own – but the ambition is clear.”