SEWAGE has been entering rivers inside national parks at double the rate of those outside protected areas, new research revealed today.

A new report by Campaign for National Parks and The Rivers Trust found that over half — 57 per cent — of rivers in national parks fail to meet good ecological status.

Sewage poured into national park rivers for 254,808 hours in 2024, the research revealed.

Spills from each park sewer overflow averaged at 549 hours, more than double the average outside protected areas, at 266 hours.

Campaign for National Parks chief executive Dr Rose O’Neill said: “You’d expect national park freshwaters to be protected like the national treasures they are, but instead they are being ignored and neglected by government, regulators and water companies.

“It’s the legacy of crumbling and outdated infrastructure that was never built to handle the reality of modern climate or the millions who visit the parks every year.”

The River Cleddau in Pembrokeshire had 34,000 hours of sewage spills, the highest of all, with the report citing agricultural pollution as one of the biggest threats.

The report noted that many rural communities within national parks are below the threshold for resident population size where more than basic sewage treatment is legally required.

A Defra spokesperson said: “The government is taking action to clean up England’s rivers, lakes and seas especially in our iconic national parks and landscapes.

“We’re rebuilding sewage pipes to slash pollution levels in half with over £104 billion of private investment being spent to upgrade our crumbling sewage pipes.”