'People power works' say crusaders against sewage
BBCCampaigners say the "bad publicity" they caused a water firm about sewage spills near their homes played a major role in the company tackling the issue.
In 2024 the storm overflow at Cark in Cartmel, near the Lake District in Cumbria, was United Utilities' worst performing site - discharging sewage into the River Eea for 4,775 hours.
But latest figures show this figure had dropped to just 308 hours in 2025 following the installation of a £1.5m water treatment works. Campaigner Rhona Barton said pressure by residents had played a major role in the plant being funded.
United Utilities said it had worked with local stakeholders to come up with a way to cut sewage spills at the site.
The firm said the site had an "unusually high water table" which results in the local sewage system being fuller for longer with both groundwater and rainwater.
Barton, who has lived in Cark for more than 30 years, previously said sewage had been a problem at the site for two decades.
Sewage discharges in the village have made national headlines in the past following the campaigning of Barton, Linda Youd and the Cark River Group.
Rhona BartonBarton said the water treatment works, which was installed at the end of 2024, had led to improvements.
"What's brought the figures down is the bad publicity that we kept giving them and they actually had to do something," she said.
"It's better but we've always got to be on our toes," she said. "People power works."
United Utilities said the mini wastewater treatment works had cut spills at the site and could treat double the amount of water each second compared to previously.
"The solution in place means we're now able to biologically treat wastewater to the highest of standards in Cark before returning it safely to the environment," a spokesperson said.
