Labour hits out at rise in waterborne diseases since 2010

WATERBORNE diseases have “put thousands of people in hospital” under the Tories, Labour said, as it vowed to put water companies dumping sewage into rivers and seas under special measures.

Cases of waterborne diseases such as dysentery have soared by nearly 60 per cent since 2010, according to the party’s analysis of NHS hospital admissions data.

The number of people admitted to hospital with diseases transmitted via waterborne infection has risen from 2,085 in 2010/11 to 3,286 in 2022/23, according to Labour.

It said the statistics showed that in the last year alone more than 120 people were diagnosed with leptospirosis – or Weil’s disease – double the number diagnosed with the same condition in 2010.

One of the ways of contracting the disease is by getting freshwater containing infected animal urine into your mouth, eyes or a cut during activities such as kayaking and outdoor swimming, according to the NHS.

It came as figures this week revealed storm overflows spilled sewage into rivers and seas for more than 3.6 million hours in 2023, more than double the previous year.

Data published by the Environment Agency showed sewage spills at their highest ever levels, with 464,056 spills in 2023, up 54 per cent from 301,091 in 2022.

There is growing anger over the polluted state of England’s rivers and coasts, with no single stretch of river classed as being in a good overall condition, and hundreds of pollution risk alerts issued for popular beaches around the country last year.

Fury with the water industry intensified on Thursday when Thames Water revealed its funding crisis had deepened after shareholders refused to give the troubled utility extra cash.

Labour Shadow Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Labour will put the water companies under special measures to clean up water. We will strengthen regulation so law-breaking water bosses face criminal charges and give the regulator new powers to block the payment of any bonuses until water bosses have cleaned up their filth.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been contacted for comment.