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U.K. Water Firms Allowed to Dump Sewage Due to Chemical Shortage

U.K. Water Firms Allowed to Dump Sewage Due to Chemical Shortage

U.K. authorities have waived rules on the treatment of sewage due to a shortage of the required chemicals as supply chains are squeezed by Brexit.

Sewage is already becoming more of an issue due to climate change. Effluent is getting into Britain’s rivers and waterways through storm overflows designed to be used during extreme weather to prevent sewers becoming overloaded. More extreme weather has increased rainfall and water infrastructure has not kept pace.

The Environment Agency published a regulatory waiver for companies to discharge effluent without meeting the usual conditions in their permits. If supplies are low, they must use the chemicals to treat the most polluting discharge. The waiver will remain in place until the end of the year.

The disruption to supplies of ferric sulphate is being caused by a shortage of lorry drivers to deliver the chemical, the industry body Water U.K. said. The issue will not affect drinking water, the group said.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.