Firm could face action after sewage discharge
Northumbrian Water has been warned of potential consequences over the incident, although it said a sewer pipe fracture could have been caused by a 'third party'08:39, 01 Jul 2026File photo of a Northumbrian. . .
Northumbrian Water has been warned of potential consequences over the incident, although it said a sewer pipe fracture could have been caused by a 'third party'08:39, 01 Jul 2026File photo of a Northumbrian Water worker in one of the firm's sewers(Image: Teesside Live)Northumbrian Water could face regulatory action after a burst pipe led to the discharge of untreated sewage into the sea. A sewer main belonging to the firm near Dockside Road, inMiddlesbrough, close to the River Tees, was fractured, requiring emergency repairs. Northumbrian Water said the damage resulted in sewage backing up and, in order to relieve the pressure on the system and avoid sewage flooding, “very controlled, heavily diluted discharges” were carried out via a storm overflow inRedcaron the coast. It said there was potential that a “third party” was responsible for the pipe fracture, but gave no further details on this. Swimmers were subsequently warned to stay out of the sea with a“bathing is not advised” warning being given for designated bathing waters in Hartlepool, Marske, Redcar, Saltburn and Seaton Carew. In a statement, the Environment Agency said it had issued temporary advice against bathing in the affected areas, identifying the incident as an “abnormal situation”. It said: “Northumbria Water are undertaking repair work and our teams are advising and monitoring the impacts from the discharge. Our officers are undertaking independent sampling and inspections. We will not hesitate to take action, if appropriate, following an investigation into the incident. ”Northumbrian Water said the burst occurred on Friday evening and teams had been “working around the clock” to carry out repairs. No detailed timeframe was given in terms of the burst, when the discharges occurred, and why the ‘do not swim’ warning only came on Monday afternoon. A spokesperson for Northumbrian Water said: “On Friday evening we were made aware of a burst on our Cargo Fleet sewage main near Dockside Road in Middlesbrough. Our teams attended quickly to assess the damage and carry out investigations. “Since then, they have been working around the clock to carry out repairs. Because of the damage to the main, sewage in the system has backed up, and we have needed to carry out very controlled, heavily diluted discharges through our storm overflow in Redcar. “Our teams have been carrying out regular sampling and environmental monitoring, and are also carrying out beach cleans. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is our only option to protect customers from the devastation that can be caused by internal sewage flooding. “We are working closely with the Environment Agency, as well as the local authorities and landowners, in order to resolve this as quickly as possible. ”Redcar and Cleveland Councilleader Alec Brown said the situation was “simply not acceptable”. Posting onFacebook, he said: “Our coastline is one of Redcar and Cleveland's greatest assets, and people rightly expect to be able to enjoy it safely, particularly during the summer months. “I have asked for regular updates on the emergency repair work and will be closely monitoring the situation with officers, the Environment Agency and Northumbrian Water. ”Redcar beach(Image: Redcar and Cleveland Council)He added: “I would urge everyone to avoid bathing at the affected beaches until it is confirmed that the water is safe again. Residents deserve clean, safe bathing waters, and I will continue to press for answers and keep the public informed as the situation develops. ”HartlepoolCouncil, in another social media post aimed at residents, said the advice not to swim was a "precautionary measure”. Commenting on the incident, Chloe Flood, of campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, said it was the “same old story”. She said: “Broken pipes, broken promises, and a deluge of sewage pouring into our waters that makes us sick when we swim or surf. It has to stop. ”The Local Democracy Reporting Service recently revealedplans by Northumbrian Water to build a long sea outfall which would transport cleaned waste water from the Bran Sands Treatment Workson Tees Dock Road, Middlesbrough, depositing it about 4. 5km off the coast atCoatham, Redcar. A planning application in respect of the pipeline is expected to be submitted next year. Did you know you can make Teesside Live a preferred source of Teesside news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away?Here's more informationabout what this means and how to do it - you can also do it byclicking here. Article continues belowFor the latest Teesside news direct to your inbox every day, sign up to our free newsletterTo find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your Teesside community, visit thePublic Notices Portal.