Report River Pollution
Very occasionally, wastewater from drains and sewers can end up in rivers, streams and other watercourses. When this happens, we need to investigate, fix any problem that might be causing it and report it to the Environment Agency promptly. Your reports play a very important role in helping us identify and resolve pollution issues swiftly.
Signs of water pollution
If you observe any of the following signs near a river or watercourse, it could be due to a blocked drain, which, if left unreported, may lead to water pollution :
How to report water pollution
If you notice pollution, please call us immediately at 0800 783 4444. You can also report pollution using video if you have a mobile phone with video recording capabilities.
Details to be provided
- What you observed and when
- The exact location
- Whether sewage is entering a river or any other watercourse
Please use a postcode, road name, What Three Words location, or a local landmark to pinpoint the pollution's location accurately.
This service is available during specific hours
- Monday to Friday: 06:00 - 22:00
- Saturday: 08:00 - 16:00
- Sunday: 08:00 - 15:30
For pollution reports outside of these hours, please call us at 0800 783 4444 immediately.
Blocked drains are one of the most common causes of river pollution.
The blockages can cause waste water to back up and even overflow, coming back to the surface from underground sewers and drains.
Keeping drains clear can help to avoid sewage getting into watercourses.
River pollution is damaging to the environment, plants, animal life and human health.
Rivers play a crucial role as drinking water for animals and income via fishing and aquaculture for people.
A polluted river will have depleted stocks of fish, crustaceans and other aquatic life which some economies rely on.
Our Commitment
If the pollution has been caused by a problem on our network, we’ll get it fixed as soon as possible.
We report all known pollution incidents to the Environment Agency.