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United Utilities · overflow UUP00274

Currently spilling

River Darwen

Recorded by the operator as Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen. The outfall is 148 m from the River Darwen on the Ordnance Survey river network, which is the river this page groups it under.

The monitor for overflow UUP00274 (operator listed as United Utilities) reports a spill into the River Darwen (status timestamp in the public data: 8 Oct 2026 at 11:03 UTC). The nearest water-quality test is 837 m away with no recent observations on record.

📍 53.68718°, -2.46330°

Truth Engine flags· 3 open

Spill record· since 6 May 2026

7

spill events

238h

cumulative discharge

10 days

longest single event

2026-08-04

first event on record

In the last 30 days this overflow recorded 238h of discharge. Across United Utilities's 2,263 monitored overflows the median was 0h. This site is in the top 1% by 30-day spill duration.

Recent spill events· last 30 days

Rainfall comes from the nearest Environment Agency rain gauge within 10 km, using 15-minute readings rolled into hourly totals. Where a gauge is further away, or too many readings are missing, we say so rather than guess. Rain figures do not show whether a discharge was permitted; that is a matter for the regulator. How we keep the record.

The operator's own annual returns· 2024 to 2025

What the water company itself reported to the Environment Agency’s annual returns for this overflow, year by year. Hours are the total reported discharge duration; monitor working is the share of the year the event monitor was operating (a figure of 0% may mean no usable monitoring data rather than no spills). These figures are the operator's own reporting, not our measurement, and our live record above begins on 6 May 2026.

YearSpills countedHoursMonitor workingMatched by
2024136h100%hub id
202593h100%hub id

2024, the operator's stated reason: "High spill threshold not met"

2025, the operator's stated reason: "High spill threshold not met"

Source: Environment Agency, Event Duration Monitoring storm overflow annual returns, all years. Matched to this overflow by hub id.

How we keep the record.

Rain at the nearest gauge· 1.8 km away

The nearest Environment Agency rain gauge, Darwen Sunnyhurst, is 1.8 km from this overflow. It recorded 3.1 mm in the last 48 hours.

Day (UTC)Rain
18 Oct 20260.0 mm
17 Oct 20260.1 mm
16 Oct 20263.2 mm
15 Oct 202614.7 mm
14 Oct 20260.0 mm
13 Oct 202613.1 mm
12 Oct 20262.1 mm

Rainfall comes from 15-minute Environment Agency readings rolled into hourly and daily totals; the 48-hour figure rests on 184 of 192 possible readings. The gauge is 1.8 km from this overflow, so it may not match the rain at the site itself, and the latest day may be incomplete. Rain figures do not show whether a discharge was permitted; that is a matter for the regulator. How we keep the record.

River level and flow nearby· 0.7 km away

Latest readings at the Environment Agency gauge "Darwen Clough Street Overflow", on the River Darwen, which is 0.7 km from this overflow.

These are the Environment Agency's own gauge readings at the named station, shown for context. The station measures the river, not this overflow, and a reading does not show whether a discharge occurred or was permitted. Trend compares the latest reading with the one nearest 24 hours earlier; a change of 5% or less is shown as steady. How we keep the record.

Nearby water quality· 6 sampling points within 5 km

  • NW-88003533 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    RIVER DARWEN BELOW JACK KEYS RESERVOIR

    837 m away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

  • NW-RSN1888 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    RSN1888 TRIB OF EARNSDALE RESERVOIR

    2.3 km away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

  • NW-88003536 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    RIVER DARWEN BELOW HOLLINS PAPER MILL BUT ABOVE DARWEN STW

    2.8 km away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

  • NW-88003538 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    WATERSIDE BROOK AT ROMAN ROAD PTC WITH UNNAMED TRIBUTARY AT ROMAN ROAD

    3.2 km away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

  • NW-88003539 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    WATERSIDE BROOK PTC RIVER DARWEN

    3.3 km away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

  • NW-RSN1120 · FRESHWATER - RIVERS

    RSN1120 CADSHAW BROOK D/S A666

    3.3 km away

    No swimmer-relevant measurements available.

Take action

The record above is verifiable from public Environment Agency and water-company data. Three official accountability channels — pre-filled with the evidence on this page.

Are you here right now?

If you can see foam, sewage debris, dead fish, or smell something wrong — submit a citizen report. Confirmed reports are added to the Truth Engine and strengthen the public record on this overflow.

📷 Report what you saw →

1. Complain to United Utilities

The official complaints route. Most companies require submission through their web form rather than email — open the form, then paste the pre-filled letter.

Open United Utilities complaints formEmail press office instead
Preview the letter
Subject: Storm overflow UUP00274 on the Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen: request for information

Dear United Utilities,

I am writing about storm overflow UUP00274 on the Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen.

Environment Agency storm overflow monitoring data for overflow UUP00274 on the Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen (operator listed as United Utilities) records 2 spill events starting between 18 September 2026 and 18 October 2026; none of them has a published end time. The most recent recorded event started on 8 October 2026 at 11:03 UTC.

As of 18 October 2026 at 08:35 UTC, the monitor currently reports the overflow as spilling (status timestamp in the public data: 8 October 2026 at 11:03 UTC).

Further details from the public record:
- Open automated data flags on River Truth for this overflow: 3 (comparisons between public datasets, not findings of fault)
- Nearest Environment Agency water-quality sampling point: 837 m away, with no recent observations in the public Water Quality Archive
- On the River Darwen, per the OS Open Rivers network (Ordnance Survey, Open Government Licence)
- Location: 53.68718, -2.46330
- Sources: Environment Agency National Storm Overflow Hub and Water Quality Archive (Open Government Licence v3.0), cross-referenced via River Truth (https://rivertruth.co.uk/overflow/11415)

These figures are taken from public monitoring data as published and may be revised by the publisher. They are not a finding that any permit condition has been breached.

[Add your personal context here, for example how you use this stretch of water.]

Please could you tell me:
1. Whether the monitoring record summarised above is accurate and complete
2. What caused the recorded spill events
3. What work, if any, is planned at this overflow, and on what timeline
4. What measures are in place to reduce spills from this overflow in future

[Delete if not applicable: I have copied the Environment Agency, Ofwat and my MP into this correspondence.]

Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your customer reference if you are a United Utilities customer]

2. Write to the MP for this stretch

This overflow sits in the Rossendale and Darwen constituency — currently represented by Andy MacNae (Labour). Click below to open WriteToThem with the letter copied to your clipboard — paste it into the message box.

Write to Andy MacNae →View MP's contact page →
Or write to your own MP instead

Prefer to write to the MP for where you live? Enter your postcode and we'll redirect WriteToThem accordingly.

Preview the letter
Subject: Constituent query: storm overflow UUP00274 on the Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen

Dear [your MP, WriteToThem will fill this in],

I am writing as your constituent about public storm overflow monitoring data for our area.

Environment Agency storm overflow monitoring data for overflow UUP00274 on the Kebbs Brook via a culvert, a tributary of the River Darwen (operator listed as United Utilities) records 2 spill events starting between 18 September 2026 and 18 October 2026; none of them has a published end time. The most recent recorded event started on 8 October 2026 at 11:03 UTC.

As of 18 October 2026 at 08:35 UTC, the monitor currently reports the overflow as spilling (status timestamp in the public data: 8 October 2026 at 11:03 UTC).

Further details from the public record:
- Open automated data flags on River Truth for this overflow: 3 (comparisons between public datasets, not findings of fault)
- Nearest Environment Agency water-quality sampling point: 837 m away, with no recent observations in the public Water Quality Archive
- On the River Darwen, per the OS Open Rivers network (Ordnance Survey, Open Government Licence)
- Location: 53.68718, -2.46330
- Sources: Environment Agency National Storm Overflow Hub and Water Quality Archive (Open Government Licence v3.0), cross-referenced via River Truth (https://rivertruth.co.uk/overflow/11415)

These figures are taken from public monitoring data as published and may be revised by the publisher. They are not a finding that any permit condition has been breached.

[Add your personal context here, for example how you and your family use this stretch of water.]

I would like to ask:
1. Whether you support strengthening the regulatory regime for storm overflows, and monitor coverage in particular
2. Whether you would raise the monitoring data for this overflow with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency or Ofwat

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address (WriteToThem requires a postal address to verify your constituency)]

MP details are looked up live from the UK Parliament Members API under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0. River Truth makes no claim about this MP's voting or advocacy record on water issues — they are shown solely as the elected representative for this constituency.

3. Report to the Environment Agency

For active pollution incidents — dead fish, foam, sewage on the riverbank — the EA hotline operates 24/7 and triggers a recorded investigation.

📞 0800 80 70 60 (24/7)Report online →
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