Untreated sewage was discarded into the River Lavant in West Sussex for 6,542 hours last year
A rare West Sussex chalk stream is on the cusp of “an environmental catastrophe”, campaigners have warned, after it was revealed as being the worst-hit river in England for sewage overflows.for 3.6 million hours last year, making 2023 the worst year on record for sewage spills, according to official figures from the Environment Agency .In total, Southern Water’s Lavant Wastewater Treatment plant overflowed for 6,542 hours, the equivalent of 273 days of non-stop sewage.
“Add to this that the Lavant is one of less than 300 precious chalk streams on Earth, and the tragedy is even more stark. “It’s so upsetting, all of this,” she added. Whenever she conducts water testing, residents passing by often express curiosity and gratitude to her and other testers for their work.
Water companies and the EA said this was partly due to 2023 being England’s sixth-wettest year on record. David Jarrad, chief executive of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain, said the EA data on sewage overspills were “absolutely disastrous”.“It does have a huge impact on particularly bivalves – oysters, mussels, clams, et cetera – and their harvesting. But more importantly for the public perception.”
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