by John Prince
The Environment Agency is investigating after it was found that a water treatment works has been pumping dirty water into watercourses for more than three weeks.
The small facility in Church Lane at Atwick has been struggling to cope with recent rainfall, which has led to more wastewater flowing into dikes and drains than usual.
According to Yorkshire Water’s own data, the discharges started on Tuesday, January 6.
Following concerns over excess sewage flowing in to streams, the utility company has confirmed it is now looking to improve its facilities to protect the public.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We are investigating a report from a concerned member of the public regarding a combined sewer overflow in Atwick.
“Our team has instructed Yorkshire Water to provide important information, and we will assess compliance with the company’s permit once this is received.
“We would like to thank the community for reports like these which assist us in regulating Yorkshire’s watercourses.”
The sewage works is meeting its Environment Agency permit for what it should treat, but more surface water flows are entering the system.
Yorkshire Water has said, though, that there is limited sewage present in any overflows.
The water runs into Stream Dike, then further up the coast in to Skipsea Drain. Both are close to the villages of Atwick and Skipsea.
Yorkshire Water said: “The works is doing what it should, and is fully treating what it should under its permit.
“Our wastewater treatment works at Atwick deals with high flows of surface water from a culvert in the village, which during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall can lead to greater flows that the treatment works can handle.
“As a result, and to protect properties nearby, discharges occur into the nearby watercourse. This can last for a number of days while the catchment drains down from heavy rainfall.
“We are in the process of planning investment in the area, to build a new sewer system to separate wastewater from surface water.
“This will significantly reduce the flows of surface water and run-off from fields entering the sewer network, and help to dramatically reduce storm overflow operations from Atwick treatment works in the future.
“This investment is currently in the planning stage, and we will share updates on timescales as soon as we have them.
“It’s mainly surface water so it’s rainfall and run-off from fields. It’s a very small treatment works, so limited wastewater is present in any overflows.”
Yorkshire Water was fined £1.6 million in 2022 for repeated sewage pollution incidents, which included discharges into rivers and coastal waters.
The Environment Agency brought the prosecution. A court ruled that Yorkshire Water had failed to properly manage its wastewater infrastructure, leading to environmental harm.
Just last month tractors had to be brought in to Atwick to pump away sewage, after water from Holderness Drain flooded the village following torrential rain.
A number of places around Holderness were also flooded that same weekend, including Leven and Hornsea.