Thousands of hours of sewage spills in Calderdale's rivers

Figures for 2024 compiled by the Environment Agency (EA) show Yorkshire Water spillages affecting areas across Calderdale.

Spillages at some of the 112 places along the borough’s tributaries showed annual amounts small in duration but others amounted to days of discharges.

The news will not surprise Calderdale councillors who heard last year that the River Calder is one of the worst for sewage spills in the country.

Yorkshire Water last week told councillors it recognised it needed to improve and has announced a five-year £8.3bn programme aimed at reducing discharges from more than 400 storm overflows, improve bathing waters and ensure it delivers clean and safe water supplies to customers.

The spending includes £50m earmarked for 19 of the company’s assets in Calderdale, working closely with the local authority, the EA and other flood board partners.

According to the data, a combined sewage overflow at Hebble Lane in Halifax into Hebble Brook showed the highest figures, with 178 spills totalling 2,744 hours – around 114 days – in 2024.

Among other areas are an outlet at West Vale, which saw 177 incidents result in 2,082 hours of spillages into Black Brook.

The River Ryburn was badly affected, with the West Street in Sowerby Bridge overflow logging 137 spills - totalling 548 hours – and a storm tank at Ripponden seeing 80 spills – totalling 478 hours.

In the upper Calder Valley, there were 101 spills – totalling 870 hours – into the River Calder at Eastwood in Todmorden, while at Princess Bridge in Hebden Bridge, the overflow saw 116 spills – totalling 1,168 hours of discharges into the same river.

Up on the hills above Hebden Bridge, Colden saw 49 spills – totalling 643 hours – into Colden Water while at Brearley, near Mytholmroyd, the main sewer combined overflow totalled 689 hours of discharge into the Calder from 92 incidents.

At the other end of the valley at Brighouse, the Bonegate Lane outflow saw 1,066 hours of spillages from 149 incidents.

Three outlets close together at Copley and Salterhebble, Halifax – with 109 spills, 61 spills and 106 spills respectively – added up to 1,773 hours of spillages into both the River Calder and Hebble Brook.