A new report on UK rivers has found Sheffield’s River Don is in “poor health”, with ongoing pollution from sewage discharge.
Last autumn, Yorkshire Water announced they would raise water bills in South Yorkshire by £150 a year until 2030 to pay for the sewer network improvements needed to reduce discharge.
The company also plans to spend £1.4bn between 2025 and 2030, including some of the revenue from increased water fees, to reduce sewage overflows by 35%.
In addition to sewage, pollutants in the Don include high levels of flame-retardant chemicals, fabric stain protectors, mercury, ammonia, and pesticides. This is largely caused by urban runoff, such as chemicals and oil from cars washing from the roads into the river.
