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21
Oct
Rain triggers prolonged sewage discharges into rivers around Ripon and Boroughbridge
Recent rainfall has prompted a series of sewage discharges into local rivers and becks, with one discharge into the River Ure continuing for at least 24 hours.
According to live data from sewagemap.co.uk, the discharge at Milby Cut in Boroughbridge, on the Ure, began at 11.32am yesterday and was still ongoing today (October 21) at 11.32am.
The data also shows a discharge into the River Skell at Ripon continuing for 15 hours, from 8.37pm on October 20.
Several other discharges were recorded across the area last night, although these had ended by the time of reporting. They included:
• Ouse Gill Beck, Great Ouseburn: 4 hours and 11 minutes
• Kirk Hammerton Beck: 3 hours and 28 minutes
• River Nidd, Knaresborough: 2 hours and 42 minutes
• Crimple Beck, Spofforth: 2 hours and 29 minutes
• Scour Gutter, Skelton-on-Ure: 1 hour and 54 minutes
Milby lock on the River Ure at Boroughbridge.
Storm overflows are designed to release excess wastewater when heavy rainfall overwhelms sewer networks, helping to prevent sewage backing up into homes and streets.
In older parts of the network, rainwater and wastewater share the same pipes, meaning intense or prolonged rain can exceed the capacity of sewers and treatment works.
However, the frequency and duration of these discharges remain a concern for communities worried about the impact on local rivers and water quality.
Ripon meeting
The latest incidents come amid growing scrutiny of sewage discharges in Ripon, where Yorkshire Water representatives are due to attend the next city council meeting on November 9.
Councillors will have the opportunity to question the water company about its performance in the area and the improvements it plans to make.
The meeting follows a unanimous vote by the council to support a motion from Councillor Jackie Crozier, of the Independent Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group, who represents Spa Ward. The motion called on Yorkshire Water to stop discharging sewage into local waterways so children can “paddle safely in our rivers free from pee and poo”.
Yorkshire Water has acknowledged that its £1.5 million scheme at the clock tower storm overflow in Ripon has not achieved the expected reduction in discharges, adding to questions about what further action is needed to protect local waterways.
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