"‘It’s a national disgrace’: fury at sewage-filled Windermere over toxic algae and dead fish", 16 November

Campaigners say the once clear waters are regularly blighted by raw sewage from a nearby works. New figures obtained by the Observer reveal the Near Sawrey plant is alleged to have illegally discharged untreated sewage on 56 days from 2021 to 2023...

The latest analysis by Hammond, a former professor of computational biology, has found that four sewage treatment works and three pumping stations are suspected of breaching permits on 501 days from 2018 to 2023 by discharging raw sewage. Some of the data was withheld, with the firm citing potential prejudice to ongoing Ofwat and Environment Agency investigations...

Hammond’s work is criticised by United Utilities for being based on “assumptions”.

The Environment Agency said: “We are currently conducting several investigations into pollution-related incidents in and around Windermere. We remain absolutely committed to improving the water quality in Windermere. Progress is being made, with recent improvements to sewage treatment works leading to a fall in phosphorus input by approximately 30% since 2020.”

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We understand people’s concerns about the operation of storm overflows and we are already significantly reducing their use, alongside proposing the largest environmental investment in a century across the north-west over the next five years... In Windermere, we have so far invested £75m in upgrading wastewater treatment sites and pumping stations and have proposed a further investment of £200m over the next five years to tackle and reduce spills from all storm overflows in the catchment... We continue to work with all organisations and individuals that impact water quality in the lake to help deliver the step change we all want to see.”

The firm said the Near Sawrey works, and another nearby plant, only served 370 people, and both operated in line with environmental permits.