Recommendation 41

We asked DHSC and VMD if they were concerned about the dumping of sewage.105 DHSC noted that there are a lot of storm overflows and that these are one of the main routes by which resistant pathogens get into waterways. It told us that the other main route was through the ordinary use of water treatment works, which are constantly releasing micro- organisms from people’s guts into the environment. There are engineering solutions to this that could, at a cost, reduce the risk of AMR spreading this way. DHSC highlighted the problem that wastewater is seen as only an environmental issue when it should also be seen as a public health issue. It believes that having public health goals for water would help to reduce the risks arising from AMR in our waterways.106