Data to action timeline
Key:
Citizen/NGO/Community action
Government Action
Water company action
2010
Lobbying for open data
2013
Richard Benyon Environment Minister legislation
Open Defra published thousands of datasets including consented discharges
2019
Water companies required to install Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) on sewer storm overflows
Rivers Trust published first version of “Is My River Fit to Play In?”
2020
EDM data accessed by journalists and citizens under EIR
The Rivers Trust 'Sewage map' published — widespread media coverage
Oxford #EndSewagePollution campaign
2021
#EndSewagePollution campaign creates huge pressure on government
Government storm overflows taskforce
Storm Overflows Taskforce (Transparency group) NGOs pushed for publication and data standards
EDM data published as open data by Environment Agency
Water Companies begin publishing live spill data as API (Thames Water first)
Oxford City Council supports application for bathing water status on Thames
Philippe Dunne private members bill and Lord Wellington Amendment
'Sewage Map' tool joint RT SAS = 40k people writing to MPs in one weekend
Environment Act Amendment requires reduction of storm overflows, more mentoring and live sewage overflow data
Thames Water trial live sewage overflow alerts at 6 sites around Oxford
Citizen Science campaign testing for bacteria
Thames Water funding
Bathing water application
2022
South Oxfordshire District Council launches campaign for bathing water status at Wallingford
Designated Bathing Water Status at Wolvercote, Oxford
2023
Thames21 Citizen Science campaign and bathing water application at Wallingford joint with SODC
2024
Wallingford beach second site on the Thames to get bathing water status
2025
Thames Water investment in treatment works upgrades
Definitions:
- RT = The Rivers Trust
- SAS = Surfers Against Sewage
- EIR = Environmental Information Regulations
- NGO = non-governmental organisation