Yorkshire Dales rivers 'at risk' with 16,000 hours of sewage pumped into them in 2024

Sewage spills, agricultural pollution and toxic chemicals are risking some of Yorkshire’s most iconic rivers, it said.

The report, in partnership with The Rivers Trust, found that sewage overflows in the national park spill for more than twice as long on average as those outside.

Almost half of the Yorkshire Dales’ waterways fail to meet good ecological status.

During 2024, a whopping 16,556 hours - the equivalent of almost two years - of sewage was discharged into the national park’s rivers.

Dr Rose O’Neill, the CNP’s chief executive, said: “National Parks like the Yorkshire Dales should set the gold standard for clean and healthy rivers, but instead they are being ignored and neglected by Government, regulators and water companies.

“These places are loved by millions of people: if we can’t protect the jewels of our waterways then we are failing the nation.

“Government in England and Wales is in the midst of the biggest reform of the water sector in decades: they must not forget places like the Dales.

“It’s time to give these waterways the strongest legal protections, the highest standards, and the urgent investment they deserve.”

The CNP has called on the Government to make national parks, like the Dales, a top priority with the water reforms coming from the Independent Water Commission.

While it called on water companies to upgrade the sewage treatment works within parks, so they are “fit for purpose”.

An environment department (Defra) spokesperson said: “The Government is taking action to clean up England’s rivers, lakes and seas especially in our iconic national parks and landscapes.

“We’re rebuilding sewage pipes to slash pollution levels in half with over £104bn of private investment being spent to upgrade our crumbling sewage pipes.”

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson added: “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and understand the importance of protecting the national parks in our area for the benefit of our customers and visitors alike.

“Storm overflows act as a relief valve for the combined sewer network during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall, to prevent the network reaching capacity and backing up into people's homes or gardens.

“Despite this, storm overflow discharges are not what we or our customers want to see, and we're working hard to reduce the frequency and duration of them.

“We recently completed a £180m investment into reducing the operation of our storm overflows, which helped to reduce discharges by 12 per cent in 2024.

“Over the next five years we will be investing a further £1.5bn to continue reducing storm discharges, which includes £378m in north Yorkshire specifically.”

The report comes amid anger at Yorkshire Water over pollution, a hosepipe ban and bill rises, while CEO Nicola Shaw received £1.3m in off-shore payments from the firm’s parent company on top of her salary and bonuses.

This has taken her overall remuneration over the last two years to more than £3m.

It comes as a time when no Yorkshire river is in overall good health and bills have risen in April by more than a third.

Shipley MP Anna Dixon has launched a petition calling on Ms Shaw to donate the two £660,000 payments to the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, a charity which works to improve the quality of the Swale, Ure, Nidd, Wharfe and Ouse.

She said: “I’m disgusted and my constituents are disgusted with paying higher bills, while we’re on a hosepipe ban and the scandal of the sewage dumping continues.

“I want her to give this money to a cause that is doing good work to clean up our rivers.”

Regarding the hosepipe ban, there was finally some good news with heavy rain meaning Yorkshire’s reservoirs increased their water level for the first time since January.