An environment group has called for action after statistics revealed that sewage from Thames Water sites was polluting Herald area rivers.

The Environment Agency’s Event Duration Monitoring Storm Overflows figures show Thames Water’s Farnham site polluted the Farnham Park tributary with 25 spills in 2022, lasting 210.14 hours, and the Waverley Lane sewage pumping station put 16 spills into Farnham Bourne, totalling 118.18 hours.

XR Waverley & Borders spokesperson Angela Shaw said: “Unless legislation changes, and serious willingness and action rather than rhetoric and posturing is shown on the part of the authorities involved – who are frantically trying to save face when confronted with public anger and incredulity at the state of our rivers and seas under their watch – the future of our waterways is in peril.”

She added: “Polluted as they are at present, this situation will only get worse.”

The worst of Thames Water’s 12 sites in the Herald area was Haslemere waste water treatment works, with 50 spills lasting 636.74 hours – 26 and a half days. Its sewage goes into the River Wey between Haslemere and Bordon.

Bentley saw 62 spills totalling 595.90 hours (nearly 25 days). Its sewage comes out into the River Wey between Alton and Tilford, affecting the river and the groundwater.

Selborne (39 spills, 416.84 hours) and Bordon (27 spills, 415.77 hours) polluted Oakhanger Stream, and the River Wey from Bordon to the River Slea junction, respectively, both for more than 17 days.

Godalming put sewage into the River Wey 14 times lasting 60.03 hours (two and a half days). Newmans Lane discharged twice into the River Wey at Alton (5.30 hours), there was one spill at Huckers Lane affecting Oakhanger Stream (2.17 hours) and one at Arford pumping station into the River Wey (0.93 hours). There was no pollution from Holybourne or Passfield.