The number of suspected illegal discharges of raw sewage into rivers and seas by water companies during dry weather in England increased sharply in the first five months of 2026, raising concerns over environmental pollution and regulatory enforcement. Discharging sewage during dry spells is considered illegal and a breach of permits granted to water companies, as it results in more concentrated pollution due to lower river flow and absence of rainwater dilution.

In 2025, water companies reported 8,576 discharges of raw sewage from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during dry weather. These so-called dry-day spills occur when overflow systems activate despite little or no rainfall on the day of or the day before discharge. Early data from 2026, obtained through freedom of information requests by Robert Forrester, a former Environment Agency officer and whistleblower, suggest the situation is worsening rather than improving. Fatal to public and environmental health, these spills were recorded 7,280 times in just the first five months of the year.

Forrester, who spent more than two decades at the Environment Agency before leaving amid concerns over regulatory failures, described most dry-day spills as deliberate and illegal. He criticized water companies for exceeding what he characterized as "quotas" for sewage dumping regardless of weather conditions, accusing the industry of prioritizing profit over environmental and public safety. He also said the regulatory body lacked sufficient deterrence to prevent these illegal discharges, labeling the behavior as criminal.

Combined sewer overflows are designed as an emergency measure to prevent sewage system overload during extreme weather events. However, long-term underinvestment by the privatized water industry has led to their more frequent use as a regular disposal method. For instance, South West Water, which serves Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset, reportedly discharged raw sewage 1,299 times on dry days between January and May 2026, nearing its total of 2,451 such events for all of 2025.

Following a prolonged drought and subsequent moderate rain, several water companies, including South West Water and Southern Water, faced public outrage for releasing raw sewage rapidly from storm overflows.

A spokesperson for Water UK emphasized that the figures remain unverified and warned it was too early to definitively classify these events as dry-day spills. Nonetheless, the spokesperson affirmed that no sewage spill is acceptable and highlighted that water companies are accelerating investments aimed at ending these releases, reportedly tripling funding in recent times.

Meanwhile, a representative for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) condemned the failure of some water companies to provide value for money to customers while polluting natural waterways. The spokesperson noted that reforms are underway to make water companies more accountable, including the historic step of requiring them to report dry-day spills as pollution incidents. DEFRA said this new reporting system equips the government with evidence to take stronger enforcement action where performance is inadequate.