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Swimming in Sewage: Britain’s Water Scandal (Channel 5 Wednesday 4 October 2023)

Published

2 months ago

October 2, 2023

Swimming in Sewage: Britain’s Water Scandal airs Wednesday 4 October 2023 on Channel 5.

What is this episode about

British cities are protected from sewage backup during storms by a system of overflow pipes. However, these drains pollute rivers with human waste. Michaela Strachan travels across the country to investigate the problem, stopping at Lake Windermere, “Wet Wipe Island” on the River Thames, and the River Tees. There, she meets activists who claim that sewage is released too frequently from overflow pipes and who are advocating for a new system to address the issue.

Michaela swims in the River Wharfe with locals who fought to have it designated as bathing water, meaning that measures must be taken to make it clean enough to swim in, meets an underwater photographer who shows her film of sanitary towels, toilet wipes, and human waste floating in the river, and hears from a family who got sick after swimming in a river on what was supposed to be a fun day out.

She also visits Hartlepoole, where fishermen are worried about the death of crabs and lobsters in the River Tees, and has a conversation about campaigning with MP Fleur Anderson.