RAW sewage was emptied into Dorset rivers and the sea this week - just DAYS after MPs rejected proposals to name and shame water companies that kill animals by doing so.

On Wednesday emergency storm overflows were activated at various Wessex Water overflow sites in Dorset following a period of prolonged heavy rainfall.

Raw sewage from overwhelmed underground networks was pumped into the sea at Charmouth, Seatown, West Bay, Burton Bradstock, Poole Harbour, Hengistbury West, and Christchurch.

It comes after, on Monday evening, parliament rejected proposals to publish reports on the number of 'sentient animals' killed or injured as a result of polluted rivers, and a description of the actions of water companies to guarantee the protection of sentient animals.

The proposed amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill was rejected with a majority 286 Conservative votes against 179 in favour. South Dorset MP Richard Drax and West Dorset's Chris Loder were among those to vote against the amendment. The clause would have also held Government and water companies to account to protect wildlife and biodiversity.

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are used when the network cannot cope due to excess rainwater running off the streets, into drains and into the sewer, where it meets sewage from our homes.

With much of the network built in Victorian times and not large enough to cope, during heavy rainfall emergency measures must be taken to prevent raw sewage flooding up through drains and into our streets, homes and gardens.

This means the sewage is instead dumped into rivers and the sea.

Wessex Water said the waste that was emptied off the Dorset coast on Wednesday was 'highly diluted.'

Previously the firm has said developers must also take responsibility for increased demand on sewers - particularly given the Government's stipulation that around 30,500 new homes must be built in Dorset by 2038.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “We’re committed to completely eliminating the discharge of untreated sewage, starting with storm overflows that discharge most frequently and those that have any environmental impact.

“Every month we’re investing more than £2.5 million to reduce storm overflows, with £150 million being spent between 2020 and 2025.”

As reported the firm is one of five that are being investigated by the industry watchdog after 'serious concerns' were raised about sewage.

Ofwat has served enforcement notices on Wessex Water, Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, Thames Water, and Yorkshire Water.

Earlier this year MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee said that England’s rivers had become a “chemical cocktail” of sewage, agricultural waste, and plastics.

Concerns were raised that between 2018 and 2021, there were only 11 prosecutions of water companies for dumping sewage in our lakes and rivers, with 'no meaningful targets or timescales' to prevent water companies from dumping raw sewage into rivers, harming fish and other animals.

  • A National Day of Action on Water Quality is being organised by charity Surfers Against Sewage on April 23 to protest against the use of CSOs by water companies. The protest against Wessex Water is being held in Bath.