[andyd]

I saw shit flowing from pipe into the river Aire last night. Horrible experience. Is this accepted/permitted on a small scale or is this somebody getting away with it? It wasn't really wet out so you can't blame it on rainfall overloading the system.
Should I contact the environment agency/water board /environmental health?

[TheTwig]

I think first of all the most important thing is to get as close as possible and attempt to dip a finger in and check it is in fact shit. May I suggest an abseil with prussik backup?

On a more serious note, google was suprisingly unhelpful. This page says it's illegal to dump untreated sewage (I believe the UK is being sued/fined by the EU for the storm overflows into the thames etc?) http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/lawsandconventions.html

I would contact defra or somebody similar. Sounds grim.

[Oldmanmatt]

Yes, contact Enviromental health at the local authority. Pictures/video and kick up a stink (ha,ha) on "social media".
Do you have a local "Spotted" page on Facebook?


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[tomtom]

Yes - Phone the EA straight away. Very much wrong and small spills like this can cause a load of damage to the river locally.

During very high rain/surface water flooding, CSO's (Combined Sewer Overflows) can 'legally' spew a sewage/drainage mix into watercourses - but this is only because the sewer that normally carries this is full - and overflows (I don't need to explain..).

[SA Chris]

Take photos, video etc as evidence. Hard to prove otherwise. Tom is right about CSOs, major problem on many beaches.

[andyd]

I think first of all the most important thing is to get as close as possible and attempt to dip a finger in and check it is in fact shit. May I suggest an abseil with prussik backup?

I may have been in a boat. Can't get much closer without swimming.

Environment agency I reckon. Cheers all

[fatneck]

They are usually very responsive to Twitter but you need to phone the hotline to actually report it...

Edit - good stuff Andy

[andyd]

Called anonymously. They're looking into it. Ref no 1347610.

[slackline]

Called anonymously. They're looking into it. Ref no 1347610.

Thats no longer anonymous now that you've announced the reference.

[Will Hunt]

Have sent you a PM, Andy.