Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have launched an online water quality hub, mapping real-time data on sewage overflow discharges for England, Scotland and Wales, as well as historical data for spills in England.
He added: “As well as live data from Scotland, Wales and England, our sewage map now includes a full history for every recorded overflow in England since December 2024, and we are working towards obtaining more and more of this vital data from water companies in the devolved nations.
The Data HQ tool the charity has produced shows the real-time and historical information on spills, allows people to explore water-quality testing data carried out by communities across the UK and view statistics on sickness cases which have been logged by water users.
Spills information for England comes from Water UK’s data platform reflecting what is being reported by English water companies, although the charity warned some issues such as overly sensitive monitors may mean it would not always be 100% accurate.
“We believe every spill should be logged in real time, and by making this data accessible, we’re exposing the appalling frequency of sewage spills and the impact on human health caused by our failing water industry,” he said.
