Concerns raised over sewage entering the sea at Sunderland

In recent weeks, the local authority’s North Sunderland Area Committee addressed a letter to city leaders over what they said was a “serious and urgent problem”.

The letter raised concerns about the operation and capacity of Hendon Sewage Treatment Works and the wider sewerage network across Sunderland and South Tyneside, as well as making a number of requests.

This included calls for council bosses to set up a meeting between campaigners and the council-commissioned consultant developing a ‘Water Cycle Study’ – a document which looks at how strategic plans and development proposals will affect the environment.

Other requests included the council writing to Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and the Environment Agency to “express personal concern at the volume of discharges”, supported by an independent study, and the possibility of adapting local planning policy to provide further safeguards.

The North Sunderland Area Committee also called for a separate independent investigation into sewage discharges into the North Sea.

Proposed terms of reference for this investigation included the “ability of the Hendon Sewage Treatment Works to meet current and anticipated future demand” as well as the ecological impacts of raw sewage discharges.

The letter was signed on a cross-party basis by councillors on the North Sunderland Area Committee, which covers the Redhill, Southwick and Castle wards, as well as coastal wards St Peter’s and Fulwell.

The letter claimed the local sewerage network was ‘designed and constructed using flawed data’ which had previously resulted in ‘unlawful sewage discharges’.

Councillors added an application from NWL to vary an Environment Agency permit, if approved, would legitimise the discharges rather than bringing about a reduction in their volume.

Northumbrian Water Limited, responding, stressed the network is operating correctly, legally and within the parameters set out by Government.

A Northumbrian Water spokesperson added: “All discharges happen in line with permits from the Environment Agency.

“As has been recognised by Defra and the Environment Agency, the network is operating correctly and within the parameters set out by Government and is legal.

“Over two decades, a huge level of investment has gone into improving bathing waters across the North East of England.

“In the Sunderland area alone this amounts to well over a hundred million pounds, with upgrades to the sewer network and improvements to the Whitburn and Roker area, and the construction of a treatment works at Hendon.

“The result of our programme of investment means that the beaches at Whitburn and Roker have continued to achieve ‘Excellent’ status in each year’s Defra classifications since the new guidelines were introduced in 2015.

“While we understand the strength of feeling of those who enjoy our region’s coastline, and share their passion for our environment, it’s worth noting that separate studies carried out by ourselves and by the Environment Agency in the Whitburn area have also shown that any such discharges contain less than 1% sewage among what is mostly rainwater.

“We continue to invest in improving our performance in relation to storm overflows even further.

“We will continue to work with our partners to ensure these high standards are maintained and enhanced, and will follow Government guidance with any future investment.”

A Sunderland City Council spokesperson, responding to the North Sunderland Area Committee letter, added: “As a council that is moving forward with its plans for a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant city, we recognise this call from the committee and the councillors that represent these communities.”

It added: “We are constantly in a dialogue with the bodies and companies that hold statutory duties in matters of sewerage, waste water treatment, the monitoring of coastal water quality and the licensing of any waste water discharges into the sea, and we are always endeavouring to seek improvements.”