According to the Environment Agency’s latest event duration monitoring (EDM) figures, Yorkshire Water has reduced the number of discharges from storm overflows to the region’s watercourses by 12% in 2024 – a reduction of 9,595 discharges.
As well as a reduction in the number of discharges, there was also a 17% drop in the amount of time Yorkshire Water discharged to watercourses – which equates to 86,906 hours. The average number of discharges per overflow decreased from 35.99 to 31.4.
Nicola Shaw, CEO of Yorkshire Water, said:
“We know overflows are operating more than we, or our customers, would like, but we’re pleased to begin to show progress on reducing storm overflow activity in our region. The reductions in discharges in 2024 resulted from both a drier year than 2023 and the hard work of our teams to deliver our £180m investment programme.”
In the last two years, Yorkshire Water has invested in 142 storm overflows across Yorkshire to reduce discharges and improve water quality in many of the region’s watercourses.
The project, which was partly funded by shareholders, contributed to the reduction in discharges in 2024, as it focused on the overflows that were operating the most often, or for the longest time.
A total of 84 projects are complete now and helping to reduce the frequency and duration of discharges into watercourses during heavy or prolonged rainfall. The remaining 58 projects are underway around the region and will begin operating to reduce discharges in the coming weeks and months to deliver further reductions in discharges in 2025.
The £180m project has included work to increase storm water capacity on the sewer network, the separation and removal of surface water from the combined sewer, work to reduce infiltration of groundwater into sewer pipes, and upgrades to storm overflows and wastewater treatment works.
Nicola added: “The reduction in discharges in 2024 is proof that we are beginning to tackle this issue for our customers and the water environment. While we’re pleased to be going in the right direction, we know this is just the start and our work is not done to meet the expectations of our customers in this area. We will be spending £1.5bn to reduce discharges further over the next five years. After that we are planning more investment to keep the improvement going.
“Changing how our combined sewers and more than 2,000 storm overflows work across the region is a difficult task, but it is one we are committed to as we continue our aim to improve Yorkshire’s river water quality and coastal bathing waters.”
