Is poor plumbing polluting our waterways?

Homes throughout the North East have bathroom and kitchen appliances wrongly plumbed into the surface water sewerage network, according to Northumbrian Water. They say that baths, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers which are connected to surface water sewer systems pollute rivers and beaches, damage wildlife and put health at risk.

The company wants systems to instead be connected to the foul sewerage network so the waste water goes to sewage works for safe treatment. They add, gutters and downpipes taking rain from roofs which are wrongly connected to the foul instead of surface water sewerage systems can contribute to flooding.

Almost 100 surface water drainage outfalls in the North East are at risk of causing pollution to rivers and streams because of misconnections. It is estimated that sewers serving around 27,000 homes may initially need inspecting to trace potential sources.

To generate awareness, Northumbrian Water put a bath, toilet, washing machine and dishwasher on the banks of the little Cocker Beck in Darlington.