Water companies in England recorded 2,487 pollution incidents last year – more than double the target set by the Environment Agency, according to campaigners.
Firms were collectively set an Environment Agency target of a 40% reduction in pollution incidents but instead recorded a 30% increase, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) said, based on freedom of information data.
The 2,487 pollution incidents in 2024 were the highest in a decade, the annual SAS Water Quality Report said.
A survey for SAS suggests that more than a quarter of adults in England (27%) have considered withholding water bill payments due to anger with the actions of their supplier.
Just one third of respondents (33%) believe that their water supplier will take the necessary action to end sewage pollution.
SAS said it received 1,853 sickness reports through its Safer Seas & Rivers Service app last year – an average of five people a day.
Some 331 people had to see a doctor, with 79% of them reporting that their doctor had attributed their illness to sewage pollution.
Environment Agency figures released in March showed storm overflows spilled sewage into England’s rivers, lakes and coasts for new highs of more than 3.61 million hours in 2024.
It was the first full year that 100% of storm overflows had been monitored and the figures revealed that although the number of spills fell slightly compared with 2023, the duration of sewage discharges was up.
There were 450,398 recorded spills – which should only take place in “exceptional circumstances” to prevent sewers being overwhelmed in heavy rainfall and backing up into homes – in 2024, compared with 464,056 in 2023.
But storm overflows let sewage spill for 3,614,428 hours in 2024, slightly up on 2023’s 3,606,170 hours, and a record high.
Households in England and Wales will see their water bills increase by an “extortionate” average of £86 this year alone, as firms face accusations of years of underinvestment in their crumbling infrastructure.
Regulator Ofwat is allowing companies to raise average bills by £31 a year, or £157 in total, over the next five years to £597 by 2030 to help finance a £104 billion upgrade for the sector.
That represents a 36% increase before inflation, which will be added on top.
Giles Bristow, SAS chief executive, said: “The numbers are staggering: record hours of sewage discharges, huge bill increases, thousands of people becoming ill and yet still the industry has the gall to still pay out billions of billpayer money to shareholders.
“Things could not be clearer: this broken system needs urgent and radical reform.
“We can change things, if we change the way our system is run.
“Across the globe, the norm is to manage water at a local level, rather than the 100% private ownership model in place in England that has proved catastrophic for the environment and public health.
“The era of broken pipes and broken promises must end and be replaced by a fresh vision for water that ends pollution for profit and leads to a fair and transparent system – one that prioritises public health and value for customer money and delivers healthy coastlines, rivers and lakes.”
A Water UK spokesperson said: “We have been clear that the water system is not working and support the Independent Water Commission looking at every aspect of how the industry is regulated.
“However, no sewage spill is ever acceptable and water companies are investing £12 billion to almost halve spills from storm overflows by 2030.
“This is part of the largest amount of money ever spent on the natural environment to help support economic growth, build more homes, secure our water supplies and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.”
