It's a Dirty Business

Watch Channel 4's documentary about the state of the water industry, then sign the petition to bring water back to public ownership.

There were at least 23,632 "sewage spills" on to designated bathing areas in 2025, lasting a staggering 140,028 hours

Contains OS Data © Crown copyright & database right 2021-2024
© Top of the Poops 2021-2024

Top Of The Poops

Beach Sewage

Who is polluting beaches the most?

Please note Dwr Cymru Welsh Water did not release this bathing information, that we can find, so we retrofitted it using previous CSO Combined Sewage Overflow - a device that, when operating, pours combined rainwater & sewage into a waterway to Bathing area information.

Rank Company Sewage Overflows Change Total Duration (Hours) Change
1 United Utilities 8,019 -1,198 52,556 -7,345
2 South West Water 7,829 -1,425 49,162 -19,857
3 Southern Water 2,763 -697 14,943 -10,040
4 Northumbrian Water 1,744 -602 7,840 -3,312
5 Yorkshire Water 1,769 -440 7,583 -2,515
6 Wessex Water 1,009 -648 6,734 -5,243
7 Anglian Water 342 -169 641 -711
8 Thames Water 22 -951 369 -16,854
9 Severn Trent Water 135 -79 197 -551

Beaches Ranked for 2025

Here are all the beaches in England and Wales that had sewage overflows in 2025

Rank Beach Company Sewage Dumps Change Duration (Hours) Change
1 Plymouth Hoe East South West Water 1,405 72 6,788 -2,451
2 Wallasey United Utilities 1,231 -566 5,648 -3,784
3 Seascale United Utilities 501 16 5,149 1,450
4 Allonby United Utilities 847 88 4,923 -1,372
5 Steamer Quay, Dart Estuary South West Water 741 -246 4,746 -3,070
6 St Annes United Utilities 692 -329 4,372 -1,570
7 Haverigg; Walney Biggar Bank; Walney West Shore; Walney Sandy Gap United Utilities 362 61 4,164 410
8 Mothecombe; Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary South West Water 347 0 3,773 0
9 Seaton (Cornwall) South West Water 232 6 2,835 -724
10 Bognor Regis East; Felpham; Middleton-on-sea Southern Water 157 0 2,406 0
11 Portreath South West Water 134 -8 2,332 -336
12 St Bees United Utilities 315 181 2,199 1,485
13 River Ribble at Edisford Bridge United Utilities 221 0 2,194 0
14 Walney West Shore United Utilities 295 -80 2,129 -141
15 Walney Biggar Bank; Walney West Shore; Walney Sandy Gap United Utilities 406 -66 2,096 -361
16 Blue Anchor West Wessex Water 169 -143 2,016 -1,430
17 Fleetwood United Utilities 414 -217 1,977 -2,065
18 Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley Yorkshire Water 474 -133 1,935 -899
19 Windermere; Rayrigg Meadow United Utilities 154 0 1,833 0
20 Coniston Water; Boating Centre United Utilities 131 0 1,765 0
21 Scarborough North Bay Yorkshire Water 224 -72 1,747 -64
22 Formby United Utilities 300 196 1,647 847
23 Sandown; Shanklin; Yaverland; Whitecliff Bay Southern Water 140 0 1,620 0
24 Morecambe South United Utilities 285 -24 1,605 533
25 Par Sands South West Water 100 -11 1,603 -113
26 Exmouth South West Water 168 -60 1,588 -691
27 Southport; St Annes; St. Annes North; Blackpool South United Utilities 420 0 1,526 0
28 Crimdon Northumbrian Water 142 33 1,520 426
29 Moreton; Wallasey United Utilities 149 -70 1,504 -801
30 Cowes; Gurnard Southern Water 444 0 1,461 0
31 Harlyn Bay South West Water 107 -14 1,380 -441
32 Windermere; Lakeside YMCA United Utilities 75 0 1,352 0
33 Meadfoot South West Water 109 -27 1,316 -699
34 East Looe South West Water 249 -15 1,304 77
35 Readymoney Cove South West Water 317 -114 1,302 -375
36 Littlehampton Southern Water 281 -169 1,208 -3,907
37 Stoke Gabriel, Dart Estuary South West Water 71 -61 1,107 -787
38 Windermere; Rayrigg Meadow; Windermere; Millerground Landing United Utilities 55 0 983 0
39 Sidmouth Town South West Water 101 -57 981 -787
40 Clevedon Beach Wessex Water 105 -103 937 -1,325
41 Seaton (Devon) South West Water 96 -27 930 -551
42 Spittal Northumbrian Water 509 -271 928 -644
43 Druridge Bay North Northumbrian Water 65 -45 914 -661
44 Wallasey; Moreton United Utilities 212 0 907 0
45 Newbiggin North; Newbiggin South Northumbrian Water 153 0 880 0
46 Woolacombe Village South West Water 49 -3 873 76
47 Morecambe North United Utilities 83 -66 866 -345
48 Wharfe at Wilderness Carpark Yorkshire Water 146 8 835 152
49 Bexhill; St Leonards Southern Water 104 0 826 0
50 Pagham Southern Water 59 -70 793 -1,190
51 Sandy Bay South West Water 55 -10 788 40
52 Gwithian Towans; Godrevy Towans South West Water 111 0 749 0
53 Bispham; Cleveleys; Fleetwood United Utilities 81 -6 691 14
54 Swanpool South West Water 43 -35 690 -554
55 Slapton Sands Torcross South West Water 40 -28 654 -594
56 Porthtowan South West Water 58 14 645 0
57 Runswick Bay Yorkshire Water 54 -40 644 -531
58 Marske Sands Northumbrian Water 143 -55 640 -486
59 Burnham Jetty North Wessex Water 115 -91 596 81
60 Long Rock South West Water 236 -10 576 17
61 Watergate Bay South West Water 27 -5 567 124
62 Perranuthnoe South West Water 50 -23 565 -294
63 Bembridge; Seagrove; St Helens Southern Water 80 0 557 0
64 Hythe; Sandgate Southern Water 104 0 555 0
65 Beachlands Central; Beachlands West; Eastney; Southsea East Southern Water 95 0 523 0
66 River Frome at Farleigh Hungerford Wessex Water 39 0 522 0
67 Combe Martin South West Water 35 -37 517 -437
68 Gorran Haven Little Perhaver South West Water 80 4 504 16
69 Plymouth Hoe West South West Water 223 -28 485 -216
70 Teignmouth Holcombe South West Water 99 -16 479 179
71 Dawlish Town South West Water 178 -1 479 -1
72 Porthkidney Sands South West Water 49 -16 474 -343
73 Moreton United Utilities 103 4 449 112
74 Trevone Bay South West Water 23 -20 441 -421
75 Bridlington South Beach Yorkshire Water 191 8 440 -111
76 Morecambe North; Morecambe South United Utilities 149 15 439 -453
77 Seatown Wessex Water 37 -41 435 -379
78 Meols United Utilities 28 6 406 245
79 Porthcurno South West Water 24 -33 394 -586
80 Dittisham, Dart Estuary South West Water 144 -54 385 -359
81 Seaton Carew North Northumbrian Water 106 14 383 45
82 Herne Bay Central; Tankerton Southern Water 53 0 379 0
83 Trevaunance Cove South West Water 68 -4 362 -61
84 Wallingford Beach, River Thames Thames Water 18 -83 361 -1,409
85 Cowes; Ryde; Seagrove Southern Water 43 0 360 0
86 Saltburn Northumbrian Water 62 -61 359 -384
87 Cawsand South West Water 29 -24 354 -532
88 Plymouth Firestone Bay South West Water 63 7 353 108
89 Porlock Weir Wessex Water 41 -6 350 -128
90 Minehead Terminus Wessex Water 44 -27 344 11
91 Ryde Southern Water 105 -102 342 -769
92 River Tone at French Weir Park Wessex Water 35 0 340 0
93 Warkworth; Amble Links Northumbrian Water 62 0 327 0
94 Colwell Bay; Totland Bay Southern Water 89 0 318 0
95 Coniston Water; Brown Howe United Utilities 72 0 316 0
96 Nidd at the Lido, Knaresborough Yorkshire Water 124 -28 316 -96
97 Hope Cove South West Water 33 -66 310 -1,336
98 Southsea East; Stokes Bay Southern Water 169 0 308 0
99 Downderry South West Water 27 12 305 244
100 Dawlish Coryton Cove South West Water 33 5 303 217
101 Lee-on-Solent; Stokes Bay Southern Water 39 0 302 0
102 Trebarwith Strand South West Water 17 9 296 211
103 Seaham Hall Beach Northumbrian Water 75 -8 294 -37
104 Poole Harbour Rockley Sands Wessex Water 57 -53 294 -298
105 Bembridge; St Helens Southern Water 48 0 294 0
106 Redcar Coatham Northumbrian Water 58 -14 289 -48
107 Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach South West Water 57 -11 278 -117
108 Holland Anglian Water 66 -51 274 -412
109 Thurlestone South South West Water 43 -8 271 -548
110 Plymouth Hoe East; Plymouth Hoe West South West Water 173 0 268 0
111 Seaford Southern Water 84 -86 267 -787
112 Warfleet Creek, Dart Estuary South West Water 140 -22 266 -79
113 Blyth South Beach Northumbrian Water 54 -42 261 -477
114 Littlehaven Beach Northumbrian Water 101 -53 245 -343
115 Danes Dyke, Flamborough; Flamborough South Landing Yorkshire Water 84 0 244 0
116 Widemouth Sand South West Water 41 -11 243 -124
117 Lynmouth South West Water 89 -2 241 -24
118 Blackpool North; Blackpool Central; Blackpool South; Bispham United Utilities 42 -2 238 78
119 Sennen South West Water 21 -5 223 -96
120 Silloth United Utilities 37 -11 220 -36
121 Goodrington South West Water 34 -2 219 -39
122 Mill Bay South West Water 93 -39 219 -202
123 Fistral North; Fistral South South West Water 70 0 206 0
124 Seahouses North Northumbrian Water 55 4 190 -53
125 Torre Abbey South West Water 61 10 189 62
126 Bexhill Southern Water 24 -57 186 -704
127 Southport United Utilities 50 -7 183 11
128 Camber Southern Water 33 -37 177 -688
129 Folkestone Southern Water 42 -9 175 -155
130 Bognor Regis (Aldwick); Bognor Regis East; Felpham; Pagham Southern Water 67 0 175 0
131 Seaton Sluice Northumbrian Water 24 -16 171 -94
132 Sheerness Southern Water 59 -60 169 -568
133 St Annes; St Annes North; Blackpool South; Blackpool Central; Blackpool North; Southport; Ainsdale United Utilities 82 0 167 0
134 Seaham Beach Northumbrian Water 36 -6 161 -184
135 Filey Yorkshire Water 60 -29 159 -112
136 Danes Dyke, Flamborough Yorkshire Water 35 0 158 0
137 Christchurch Avon Beach; Christchurch Friar`s Cliff Wessex Water 40 0 155 0
138 St Annes; St. Annes North; Blackpool South United Utilities 32 0 149 0
139 Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway; Weston Main Wessex Water 16 0 145 0
140 Porthoustock South West Water 22 -38 143 -745
141 Bridlington North Beach Yorkshire Water 47 15 139 117
142 Bognor Regis East; Felpham Southern Water 10 0 137 0
143 Saltdean; Rottingdean Beach; Seaford Southern Water 42 0 137 0
144 Mawgan Porth South West Water 26 -36 136 -265
145 Reighton Yorkshire Water 37 -11 135 -79
146 Budleigh Salterton South West Water 113 -151 132 -143
147 Whitby Yorkshire Water 73 -47 131 -200
148 Flamborough South Landing Yorkshire Water 32 -2 122 -11
149 Kingsand South West Water 66 -9 122 51
150 Ryde; Seagrove; St Helens Southern Water 33 0 118 0
151 Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove; Warfleet Creek, Dart Estuary South West Water 46 0 116 0
152 Shorthorn Beach South West Water 35 -6 116 37
153 Scarborough South Bay Yorkshire Water 39 -13 115 -164
154 River Severn in Shrewsbury Severn Trent Water 108 -36 115 -192
155 Wembury South West Water 13 -16 113 -148
156 Bexhill; Norman`s Bay Southern Water 16 0 112 0
157 Hillhead Southern Water 18 0 111 2
158 Wilsthorpe Yorkshire Water 14 2 111 9
159 Herne Bay Southern Water 11 -23 110 -300
160 Hove; Shoreham Beach; Southwick Southern Water 39 0 109 0
161 Charlestown South West Water 48 8 108 45
162 Cleethorpes Anglian Water 34 -4 106 11
163 St Helens Southern Water 23 -21 105 -187
164 Coverack South West Water 31 -11 100 -32
165 Redcar Granville; Redcar Stray Northumbrian Water 24 0 95 0
166 Cayton Bay Yorkshire Water 7 3 94 75
167 West Bay (West) Wessex Water 10 -38 94 -446
168 Swanage Central Wessex Water 32 -14 94 -81
169 Sandsend Yorkshire Water 11 -44 89 -442
170 Blackpool North United Utilities 36 1 88 59
171 Bournemouth Hengistbury West Wessex Water 17 -10 86 11
172 Gorleston Beach Anglian Water 29 -17 85 17
173 Poole Harbour Rockley Sands; Poole Harbour Lake Wessex Water 12 0 84 0
174 River Severn at Ironbridge Severn Trent Water 26 -42 82 -358
175 Charmouth West Wessex Water 72 -35 80 -390
176 St Mary's Bay (Devon) South West Water 64 5 78 -35
177 Cleveleys United Utilities 13 3 74 51
178 Ilfracombe Hele South West Water 28 -32 73 -357
179 Shaldon South West Water 25 -5 71 -7
180 Hornsea Yorkshire Water 63 -38 70 2
181 Silecroft United Utilities 19 -11 66 -43
182 Walney Sandy Gap United Utilities 64 64 63 63
183 Beadnell Northumbrian Water 23 -9 63 -51
184 Herne Bay; Herne Bay Central Southern Water 21 0 62 0
185 Beacon Cove South West Water 51 -5 62 -7
186 Millendreath South West Water 58 -14 61 -34
187 Whitley Bay Northumbrian Water 28 -18 61 -103
188 Haverigg United Utilities 13 -44 59 -190
189 Beer South West Water 58 -18 57 -108
190 Bognor Regis (Aldwick); Bognor Regis East; Felpham; Middleton-on-sea Southern Water 14 0 57 0
191 Crantock South West Water 72 -42 54 -64
192 Porthleven Sands South West Water 13 7 53 41
193 Portwrinkle South West Water 17 -49 48 -1,180
194 Walney Biggar Bank United Utilities 23 -34 48 -112
195 Croyde Bay South West Water 9 -14 45 -88
196 Frinton Anglian Water 25 -34 45 -28
197 Robin Hoods Bay Yorkshire Water 19 -19 44 -164
198 Pevensey Bay Southern Water 9 -11 44 -29
199 Great Yarmouth Pier; Great Yarmouth South Anglian Water 64 0 43 0
200 Ryde; Seagrove Southern Water 12 0 42 0
201 Paignton Preston Sands South West Water 31 -5 42 -22
202 Seaburn - Sunderland Northumbrian Water 14 -23 42 -84
203 Salcombe South Sands South West Water 53 13 40 16
204 Withernsea Yorkshire Water 8 0 39 3
205 Allonby  United Utilities 16 0 36 0
206 Crackington Haven South West Water 19 0 34 -4
207 Summerleaze South West Water 15 -3 33 4
208 Minster Leas; Sheerness Southern Water 7 0 32 0
209 Teignmouth Town South West Water 15 9 32 13
210 Leysdown Southern Water 13 -4 31 -57
211 Polstreath South West Water 22 2 31 19
212 Bournemouth Pier Wessex Water 11 0 31 10
213 Colwell Bay Southern Water 17 4 30 8
214 Ventnor; West Beach, Whitstable Southern Water 34 0 29 0
215 Littlestone; St Mary's Bay (Kent) Southern Water 2 0 27 0
216 Tankerton; West Beach, Whitstable Southern Water 14 0 27 0
217 Hastings Pelham Beach; St Leonards Southern Water 19 0 25 0
218 River Avon at Fordingbridge Wessex Water 31 0 25 0
219 Weymouth Central Wessex Water 16 -31 25 -179
220 Poole Shore Road Beach Wessex Water 25 -17 21 -21
221 Swanpool; Gyllyngvase South West Water 26 0 19 0
222 Hillhead; Lee-on-Solent Southern Water 4 0 18 0
223 Lulworth Cove Wessex Water 15 -43 18 -625
224 Mablethorpe Town Anglian Water 7 2 17 0
225 Broadstairs, Stone Bay; Broadstairs, Viking Bay; Ramsgate Sands; Ramsgate Western Undercliffe Southern Water 6 0 16 0
226 Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton) Anglian Water 14 -5 16 0
227 Botany Bay, Broadstairs; Broadstairs, Stone Bay; Joss Bay, Broadstairs; Margate Fulsam Rock; Margate The Bay; Walpole Bay, Margate Southern Water 6 0 15 0
228 Calshot Southern Water 2 -30 15 -501
229 Paignton Paignton Sands South West Water 23 14 15 8
230 Bognor Regis (Aldwick); Bognor Regis East; Pagham Southern Water 3 0 14 0
231 Christchurch Bay; Highcliffe; Milford-on-sea Southern Water 4 0 13 0
232 Polurrian Cove South West Water 9 -12 11 -53
233 Manningtree Beach, Stour Estuary Anglian Water 5 -5 11 -34
234 Goring Beach Southern Water 1 -4 10 -11
235 Birling Gap Southern Water 4 -12 9 -28
236 Eastbourne; Pevensey Bay Southern Water 5 0 9 0
237 Weymouth Lodmoor Wessex Water 30 12 8 3
238 West Mersea Anglian Water 6 -23 8 -86
239 Sandown; Shanklin; Yaverland Southern Water 11 0 8 0
240 Frensham Great Pond Thames Water 4 -2 8 0
241 Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier) Anglian Water 49 33 8 4
242 Worthing; Goring Beach Southern Water 4 0 7 0
243 Carbis Bay South West Water 6 3 7 -4
244 Clacton Anglian Water 20 0 7 -21
245 Bantham South West Water 4 -8 6 -143
246 West Runton Anglian Water 7 -25 6 -109
247 Portland Harbour Castle Cove; Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle Wessex Water 19 0 6 0
248 Bournemouth Boscombe Pier Wessex Water 14 0 6 0
249 Ringstead Bay Wessex Water 1 -7 5 -33
250 Bridlington South Beach; Wilsthorpe Yorkshire Water 27 0 5 0
251 Ramsgate Western Undercliffe; Ramsgate Sands Southern Water 2 0 5 0
252 Porthgwidden South West Water 3 2 4 4
253 Cleethorpes; Humberston Fitties Anglian Water 1 0 4 0
254 Deal Castle Southern Water 3 3 4 4
255 Ramsgate Western Undercliffe Southern Water 1 1 4 4
256 Bamburgh Castle Northumbrian Water 3 -7 4 -12
257 Studland Knoll House Wessex Water 5 2 4 -1
258 Hillhead; Lee-on-Solent; Stokes Bay Southern Water 4 0 4 0
259 Fleetwood; Morecambe South United Utilities 6 0 3 2
260 Botany Bay, Broadstairs; Broadstairs, Stone Bay; Joss Bay, Broadstairs; Broadstairs, Viking Bay Southern Water 3 0 3 0
261 Friars Meadow, River Stour Anglian Water 9 -27 3 -8
262 East Runton Anglian Water 5 0 2 0
263 Seaton Carew Centre Northumbrian Water 6 2 2 1
264 Shanklin; Ventnor Southern Water 5 0 2 0
265 Minster Leas Southern Water 2 0 2 0
266 Felpham; Middleton-on-sea Southern Water 1 0 2 0
267 Porthminster South West Water 6 5 1 1
268 Shoreham Beach; Southwick Southern Water 6 0 1 0
269 Folkestone; Sandgate Southern Water 1 0 1 0
270 Pentewan South West Water 2 1 1 1
271 Towan South West Water 2 2 1 1
272 St Annes  United Utilities 1 0 1 0
273 Margate Fulsam Rock; Margate The Bay; St Mildred's Bay, Westgate; Walpole Bay, Margate; West Bay, Westgate; Westbrook Bay, Margate Southern Water 2 0 0 0
274 Porthallow South West Water 1 1 0 0
275 Bournemouth Fisherman`s Walk Wessex Water 1 0 0 0
276 Blackpool South United Utilities 1 -4 0 -3
277 Ventnor Southern Water 1 -11 0 -173
278 Christchurch Bay Southern Water 3 3 0 0
279 Bembridge; St Helens; Seagrove Southern Water 1 0 0 0
280 West Kirby United Utilities 3 -280 0 -1,419
281 Littlehampton; Middleton-on-sea Southern Water 1 0 0 0
282 Lancing, Beach Green; Worthing; Worthing Beach House Southern Water 1 0 0 0
283 Challaborough South West Water 2 -8 0 -32
284 Perranporth South West Water 1 0 0 0
285 Lancing, Beach Green; Shoreham Beach; Southwick Southern Water 2 0 0 0
286 Ramsgate Sands; Ramsgate Western Undercliffe Southern Water 1 0 0 0
287 Tynemouth Long Sands South Northumbrian Water 1 -2 0 -5
288 River Teme in Ludlow Severn Trent Water 1 -1 0 0
289 Salcombe North Sands South West Water 1 -1 0 0
290 Clacton Beach Martello Tower Anglian Water 1 -4 0 -12
291 Beachlands Central; Beachlands West; Eastoke; West Wittering Southern Water 0 0 0 0
292 Beachlands Central; Beachlands West; Eastoke Southern Water 0 0 0 0
293 Roker - Sunderland Northumbrian Water 0 -1 0 -1
294 Portmellon South West Water 0 0 0 0
295 Ingoldmells South Anglian Water 0 -9 0 -32
296 Wolvercote Mill Stream Thames Water 0 -866 0 -15,444
297 Sandown; Shanklin Southern Water 0 0 0 0
298 St Annes; St Annes North United Utilities 0 -15 0 -13
299 Breakwater Beach (Shoalstone) South West Water 0 0 0 0
300 Brighton Central; Brighton Kemptown Southern Water 0 0 0 0
301 Norman`s Bay Southern Water 0 0 0 0
302 Brighton Central; Brighton Kemptown; Hove Southern Water 0 0 0 0
303 Meols; Moreton; Wallasey United Utilities 0 -1 0 0
304 Redcar Stray Northumbrian Water 0 0 0 0
305 Selsey Southern Water 0 0 0 0
306 Marsden Northumbrian Water 0 -19 0 -107
307 Bognor Regis (Aldwick); Bognor Regis East; Felpham Southern Water 0 0 0 0
308 Tynemouth Cullercoats Northumbrian Water 0 -5 0 -2
309 Eastney; Beachlands West Southern Water 0 0 0 0
310 Blackpool North; Blackpool Central; Blackpool South United Utilities 0 0 0 0
311 Pevensey Bay; Norman`s Bay Southern Water 0 0 0 0
312 Maenporth South West Water 0 0 0 0
313 Bigbury-on-Sea North South West Water 0 0 0 0
314 Eastbourne Southern Water 0 -2 0 0
315 Herne Bay Central; Tankerton; West Beach, Whitstable Southern Water 0 0 0 0
316 Morecambe SouthMorecambe North United Utilities 0 0 0 0
317 Saltdean; Rottingdean Beach Southern Water 0 0 0 0
318 West Kirby; Meols United Utilities 0 0 0 0
319 Church Ope Cove Wessex Water 0 0 0 0
320 Crooklets South West Water 0 0 0 0
321 Porthpean South West Water 0 0 0 0
322 Hive Wessex Water 0 -3 0 -18

Data Sources & Accuracy

EDM (Event Duration Monitoring) data and Consented Discharges to Controlled Waters with Conditions from Environment Agency & Data Map Wales, and Scottish Water

Experimental derived data from Thames Water API, Some data may be missing or inaccurate. Live sewage data from Stream Water API

Uses Environment Agency rainfall data from the real-time data API (Beta) - Rainfall data is delayed by up to two days.

This website is intended to provide an accurate representation of the Environment Agency data. The data is hard to use, and thus some errors may have been made. If you find something that is incorrect, please raise an issue at the GitHub issues page and we'll endeavour to fix it quickly.

This project is not associated, approved or endorsed by any of the companies whose logos you see here.