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08
Sept 2023
Raw sewage spilled into North Yorkshire streets 600 times in five years
Yorkshire Water has admitted that raw sewage has spilled into the streets in the Skipton and Ripon constituency area 600 times over the last five years.
The figure was revealed during a meeting in Skipton yesterday when the company’s head of corporate affairs, Tim Myatt, was grilled by councillors about what the company is doing to stop sewage and other waste being discharged into rivers and public places.
Mr Myatt, who was a senior Harrogate councillor for the Conservatives until earlier this year, said Yorkshire Water was investing an extra £180 million to reduce discharges by at least 20% before 2025.
This is on top of a £147 million investment to reduce discharge at its wastewater treatment works.
But councillors said the company had not spent enough since privatisation in 1989.
Last month, the council’s planning committee refused an application for 23 homes in Bishop Monkton following fears the housing would exacerbate raw sewage being released into village streets during heavy rainfall.
Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, asked Mr Myatt how many reported incidents of sewage being spilled into Skipton and Ripon’s streets there had been in the last five years. Mr Myatt told him it was 600.
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However, this only includes details from the main postcodes in the constituency area so the actual number is likely to be higher.
A 'monstrous' figure
Cllr Brown described the figure as “monstrous” and said more investment was needed.
He said:
Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water has had teams in Bishop Monkton this week looking at the problem.
Conservative and Independent Group councillor for Ripon Minster and Moorside, Andrew Williams, said the company has been providing an “effluent service” for customers.
He added:
Conservative councillor for Settle and Penyghent, David Staveley, said Yorkshire Water had “stone-walled and come up with bad excuses” when faced with criticism from customers over raw sewage and other issues.
Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water wanted a “step change in transparency”, including more monitoring of their infrastructure to help understand how to reduce overflows. He said he was aware the public wants the company to “vastly improve performance”.
He said:
North Yorkshire Council is currently putting together a local plan that will map out where housing can be built across the county.
Mr Myatt indicated Yorkshire Water would like to become a statutory consultee on planning applications and that the new local plan will help it target investment into infrastructure.
He added:
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