Reporting pollutions
If you spot signs of pollution, call us at once on 0345 600 4 600 and give us the location and description.
If you notice 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
- other signs are if the river or stream appears cloudy or milky or there is grey feathery ‘sewage fungus’ on the bed.
Spotted a pollution?
If you spot signs of pollution, call us at once on 0345 600 4 600 and give us the location and description.
How you can help
Because most pollution incidents are caused by blocked sewers you can help by:
- putting rubbish in the bin, not down the toilet
- allowing fat, oil and grease to cool before putting it in the bin - do not pour it down the sink
- ensuring your sinks, washing machine and dishwasher are connected to the foul sewer and not the surface water sewer – one in five homes has a misconnection.
What we do
If we receive a report of pollution, we aim to arrive on site within two hours to investigate incidents.
If we find the pollution is our responsibility, we will act at once with all pollution incidents being reported to the Environment Agency.