The number of suspected illegal discharges of raw sewage into rivers and seas by water companies during dry weather significantly increased in the first five months of 2026. Data from freedom of information requests submitted by Environment Agency whistleblower Robert Forrester indicates 7,280 such incidents occurred between January and May this year.
This figure compares to 8,576 dry spill pollution discharges reported by water companies in England and Wales for the whole of 2025. Discharging raw sewage during dry weather is considered a breach of permits and illegal, as it increases the toxicity of pollution due to less dilution in waterways.
Water UK, the trade association for the water industry, has stated that these figures are currently unverified and it is premature to label them as dry day spills. They also noted that water companies are investing £12bn to halve spills from storm overflows by 2030.
South West Water, operating across Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset, recorded 1,299 dry day discharges in the first five months of 2026, compared to 2,451 for the entirety of 2025. A spokesperson for South West Water said storm overflow activations can happen for various reasons and are not solely determined by rainfall figures.