Eyewatering amounts of sewage are still being pumped into Yorkshire’s waterways
The water pollution scandal has understandably angered communities that have watched on helplessly as the environment on their doorstep has been bespoiled by negligent water companies.
The fact that sewage was pumped into rivers, lakes and the sea from storm overflows by Yorkshire Water for the equivalent of more than 32 years in 2025 more than justifies the ire directed at the company here in Yorkshire.
The absurd thing is that this was actually a significant reduction on 2024 - by a third - due to the dry weather last year. Yet Yorkshire Water was still one of the worst offenders in England by this metric.
If the company is to be given the benefit of the doubt, then the argument could be made that the figures are trending in the right direction. Yorkshire Water is making a significant investment. The company says it has put in £180m over the last two years targeting over 100 storm overflows.
However, that does not mean that this is a cause for the champagne to start flowing at Yorkshire Water’s board meetings. And it certainly shouldn’t be used as justification for egregious bonuses to be handed out to its bosses. It’s worth remembering that Yorkshire Water CEO Nicola Shaw has raked in remuneration of £3m over the last two financial years.
There is still a long way to go before the public is convinced that the company is on the right track when it comes to tackling water pollution.
Earlier this year, this newspaper threw down the gauntlet to Yorkshire Water to become an exemplar to others in the water industry. The company’s CEO accepted this challenge, responding by saying “we want to be among the best in our industry”.
These figures outline the scale of the task Yorkshire Water faces and why there is so much public anger towards the water industry.