Raw sewage is regularly being dumped across a broad swath of southeast England, according to a real-time map released by the UK’s largest water company.
(Bloomberg) — Raw sewage is regularly being dumped across a broad swath of southeast England, according to a real-time map released by the UK’s largest water company.
The data from Thames Water Utilities Ltd. reveal that vast amounts of sewage are being sent through storm overflows into streams, brooks and rivers. The map covers London but runs as far west as Gloucestershire, and to areas of Kent and Essex in the east.
Many of the monitoring stations showing live discharges are concentrated around Oxford and the surrounding countryside, with several storm drains apparently flowing into local waterways for more than 400 hours at a stretch.
The storm discharge occurs during heavy or persistent rain to prevent sewer flooding.
“We’re being open and sharing that data exactly as we receive it, so you can make more informed decisions,” Thames Water said.
Click here to access the interactive map.
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