Reporting pollutions
Pollution can cause damage to the environment and wildlife, so please call us as soon as possible if you spot something that doesn’t look right in or near a watercourse.
Signs of pollution
If you notice any of the following in or near a river or stream, it could be a sign of pollution:
- wet wipes, sanitary products and toilet paper
- human waste
- condoms
- noticeable sewage smells
- dead or gasping fish
- soap suds or foam
- milky or cloudy water
- grey feathery ‘sewage fungus’.
Report a pollution
Please call us right away on 0345 600 4 600 and give us the location and description of the suspected pollution.
What we will do
Once we receive the report, we aim to arrive within two hours to investigate the incident.
If we find that the pollution is our responsibility, we will act right away.
We report all pollution incidents to the Environment Agency.
How you can help
Most pollution incidents are caused by blockages.
You can help by only flushing the three Ps (pee, poo and paper), as well as putting fat, oil and grease in the bin and not down the sink.
One in five homes has a misconnection, which is when dirty water drains into the wrong sewer.
Check your sinks, washing machine and dishwasher to make sure they are connected to the foul sewer and not the surface water sewer.
Become a Water Guardian
We are recruiting and training local volunteers to monitor watercourses, identify possible pollution incidents and report them to us.