Water companies reported a 15 per cent year-on-year rise in external sewer flooding incidents in 2019/20, with the number of homes flooded by sewage up 14 per cent.
The figures were included in the latest annual report from consumer watchdog, CCW, which said they underlined the need for water companies to accelerate their response to climate change.
Both internal and external sewer flooding was down over the past five years – by 11 per cent and 22 per cent respectively – but CCW said the sharp hike in the past 12 months was worrying.
Wessex, Southern and Thames reported a decrease in internal sewer flooding in 2019/20, while Northumbrian and South West were the only companies to see decreases in external incidents. By reviewing its responses to flooding incidents and focusing on better preparation for heavy rainfall, Northumbrian was able to reduce external sewer flooding by 41 per cent.
In other areas, CCW’s Water, Water Everywhere report points to positive trends, although warns that progress is not happening fast enough.
Consumption of water fell for the first time in five years – from 143 litres per person per day (lpd) to 142. However, the figure remains 2 per cent higher than 2014/15. Anglian subsidiary, Hartlepool Water was the top performer on water consumption, with a rate of 126lpd. Welsh Water had the worst figures at 160lpd.
Leakage, another key target, fell by 7 per cent to its lowest level in a decade, while the average time that customers’ water supply was cut off decreased from 13 minutes 14 seconds in 2018/19 to 11 minutes 45 seconds; a reduction of 11 per cent.
Karen Gibbs, Senior Policy Manager at CCW, said: “The water industry has generally coped well with the increased demand for water throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and through the recent extreme weather events, but this does highlight some of the potential challenges ahead. That’s why we at CCW have lent our support to Government and regulators’ calls for companies to act ‘further and faster’ to maintain positive progress as part of the nation’s green economic recovery.”
She added: “No one can be in any doubt that we are experiencing more and more extreme weather patterns and events, from the deep freeze and sudden thaw of the ‘Beast from the East’ to the recent summer heatwave. We need the water sector to be resilient to climate change and to respond well to incidents when they occur. These essential services are fundamental to our daily lives and disruptions cause enormous inconvenience and anguish for the people affected.”