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Rivers: Pollution

Volume 492: debated on Thursday 14 May 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidences of river pollution were reported in each of the last five years. (274936)

Incidences of reported water pollution are detailed in the following table. The incident data held on the Environment Agency's National Incident Recording System do not specify whether the pollution was to rivers or other watercourses. The following data are therefore for all pollution incidents which had an impact on water.

Pollution incidents with an impact on water

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Category 1 (major impact)

115

100

88

68

74

Category 2 (significant impact)

595

566

520

458

359

Category 3 (minor impact)

10,916

10,222

9,488

8,878

8,184

Total

11,626

10,888

10,096

9,404

8,617