18,000 hours of sewage dumped into River Don, Marie Tidball MP says to Minister

**On Thursday 12th September, Marie Tidball MP asked the Minister for Water and Flooding what she was doing to “ensure that Yorkshire Water cleans up its act, and our beautiful River Don”. **

In the past year, 18,000 hours of sewage has been dumped across Penistone and Stocksbridge, including in the River Don. 

In 2023, Yorkshire Water spilled sewage 33% more than in 2022, with almost 5,000 separate incidents. 

Between 2021-2023 sewage has been spilled into Oughtibridge over 500 times, for almost 5,000 hours.  

The Minister highlighted Labour Government’s new law to crack down on water companies illegally dumping sewage, failing their customers, and damaging our environment. 

The Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill will bring forward criminal charges against water company bosses, and create tougher penalties, including imprisonment for those who don’t comply. 

Local MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Marie Tidball, said: 

“It is disgraceful that private water companies have been able to profit from record levels of sewage dumping into our seas, rivers, and lakes. “I told the Minister that sewage had been pumped into our constituency for 18,000 hours last year, leaving our River Don in an unacceptable condition. “I was pleased to hear the Minister highlight Labour’s Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will increase penalties and legal consequences, for water bosses profiting from dumping sewage in our constituency, including Yorkshire Water.