Water sample results following sewage leak near Blackpool will not be shared publicly

The Environment Agency (EA) will not share water sampling results because it regards the incident as “abnormal”, iNews revealed on Wednesday (June 28).

It came after untreated sewage was released into the sea from the water treatment plant in Fleetwood on Monday, June 12.

This was caused by a burst pipe which became overwhelmed as 1.7 inches (44mm) of rain fell in two hours during a severe thunderstorm.

According to iNews, the regulator will “disregard” samples that are found to have been taken during “abnormal” conditions so as not to affect the area’s bathing status.

Abnormal conditions include pollution that is “not likely to occur more than once in four years on average”.

The EA said samples were still being taken on on a daily basis despite not being shared publicly, and were being used to inform decisions around when it would be appropriate to lift the current restrictions.

The ‘no swim’ warnings remained in place on June 28 – 16 days on from the leak.

United Utilities said engineers were working around the clock to repair the pipe, which typically carries water to the sea after it has been treated and cleaned.

In the latest statement issued last Friday, the company said the “bypass pipe” was in place and operational and checks were being completed to bring it up to “full flow”.

A spokesman added: “When the bypass pipe is up to full flow, Fleetwood wastewater treatment works will be able to run at its full capacity.”

Activist group Surfers Against Sewage were among the first to raise concerns on June 14 after their tests revealed E. coli was present in the water.

The bug’s symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever, with a small number of people going on to get more serious and complex conditions.

The EA said they were investigating the circumstances of the burst pipe and promised “tough action” if it found enforcement action was necessary.

A spokesman for the agency added: “We have ramped up monitoring along the Fylde coast to support the assessment of this incident’s impact and the samples we are collecting in the affected waters will form part of our robust investigation which is underway.

“In line with the Bathing Water Regulations, routine bathing water sampling used for long-term assessment of quality has been temporarily suspended to avoid giving an unrealistic classification for normal bathing conditions.

“Our Swimfo website continues to keep local residents informed of the latest bathing water advice, including where and when to swim.”