Modernising our sewers

No sewage spill is ever acceptable. We have apologised for not acting quickly enough on spills and have a plan to end sewage entering our rivers and seas.  

Water companies in England and Wales plan to invest more than £11 billion, more than triple the current level of investment, to end sewage spills.  This represents the most ambitious modernisation of sewers since the Victorian era and will reduce spills by 40% by 2030.  

Plans include building thousands of new storage tanks, nature-based schemes to keep rainwater out of sewers, upgrading pipes and using ‘smart’ technology sensors and artificial intelligence to manage sewer capacity more efficiently.  

Read our plans in full and find out more at our interactive National Storm Overflows Plan for England.  

In addition to our investment plans, Water UK has launched an interactive map showing the operation of every single storm overflow in England. This is a world-first, and those who use our waterways in England are now able to see, to the minute, when and where a storm overflow has discharged.

Find out more and see our National Storm Overflow Hub in action.