MORE than 400 water pollution incidents were recorded across the district over a five-year period, new figures reveal.

Data obtained by the Radar news agency through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that 447 incidents were recorded in Bradford district by the Environment Agency between 2018 and 2022.

The statistics cover several levels of severity. The area saw 31 ‘major’ or ‘significant’ incidents during the five-year timeframe, six of them in 2022.

In Bradford district, 73 of the total number of cases were assessed as coming from a water company.

Water pollution can also be from sources such as agricultural run-off or industry and manufacturing.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson says: "We have a role to play in reducing water pollution events and are investing heavily in our network to do so.

"This data shows that almost three quarters of the incidents in Bradford district were not linked to water companies, so it is vital that other industries, businesses and individuals also take steps to prevent future pollution occurrences in the area."

Across England, the Environment Agency recorded nearly 36,000 category one to three water pollution incidents between 2018 and 2022.

The number of cases judged to be from water companies rose over that time period – from 1,922 in 2018 to 2,213 in 2022.

Councillor Matt Edwards, leader of the Green Party on Bradford Council, said he was not surprised by the figures.

“The fact that our water companies are run by private concerns means one of our most basic utilities is being operated as a money-making enterprise rather than a public service,” he added.

“Environmental regulations which protect our rivers from this sort of pollution have been relaxed to the point of non-existence, meaning that the UK has some of the worst water quality in Europe.”

The Environment Agency describes the number of pollution incidents attributed to the water industry as "unacceptably high".

A spokesperson adds: "We expect water companies to significantly reduce incidents and to report them to us quickly.

“We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where it is deemed necessary.”

Last year, the environmental charity Aire Rivers Trust recruited volunteer 'pollution spotters' to survey the rivers Worth and Aire, and more than half a dozen becks, in the Keighley area.

The trust says rivers and streams along the course of the Aire received a combined total of 13,810 hours of sewage discharge in 2022.