Chester MP welcomes fall in sewage discharges into River Dee

Samantha Dixon, Member of Parliament for the City of Chester, has welcomed a drop in the level of untreated sewage and storm water discharged into the City of Chester stretch of the River Dee.

Data published by the Rivers Trust, supported by data gathered by the Environment Agency, showed a total of 919 hours’ worth of untreated sewage and storm water was discharged into the Dee in 2022.  

The figures from 2022 represent a halving of the almost 2,000 hours of sewage that was discharged into the same area of the river in 2021. Areas that have seen a reduction include Dee Lane, reduced from 307 hours to 234, and The Groves reduced from 106 hours to 70 hours. 

Welsh Water is the main operator of the sewage system that is discharging untreated sewage into the Dee.  

The City of Chester MP, Samantha Dixon, held a meeting in March with Welsh Water and local groups to understand Welsh Water’s plans to reduce sewage dumping in the river. 

Commenting on the data, Ms Dixon said: “I welcome the latest set of figures from the Rivers Trust which shows we are working towards stopping sewage dumping in the Dee. This will be welcome news for river users as it means the Dee in Chester is a safer place to enjoy water sports and leisure activities. 

“There is still more work that needs to be done because storm water and untreated sewage continue to overwhelm our city’s sewage system from time to time. 

“Projects that alleviate pressure on our sewage system, such as Cheshire West and Chester council’s new surface water drain under St Martins Way and Nicholas street, is a step in the right direction. 

“I am keen we continue to push forward with other localised urban drainage projects that will continue to remove or slow the entry of rainwater into the sewers, further reducing pressure in the system and eliminating the need for sewage discharge in the future.” 

Mrs Dixon pledged to stop sewage dumping in the River Dee during her by-election campaign last December. 

She added: “The Dee is one of Chester’s greatest assets. We must continue to work towards a future where sewage dumping is a thing of the past.”