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Campaigners have warned that sewage is spilling into the rivers inside national parks at twice the rate that is occurring outside the protected areas.

There are 464 water company overflow sites inside national parks and the average duration of sewage spills for each site in 2024 was 549 hours - the equivalent of eight hours a day for two months.

There were 254,808 hours of sewage outflows in national parks last year in total.

Dr Rose O'Neill, chief executive at campaign for National Parks, said: "As home to some of the UK's most precious and globally renowned waterways, National Parks should set the gold standard for clean and healthy rivers. You'd expect National Park freshwaters to be protected like the national treasures they are, but instead they are being ignored and neglected by Government, regulators and water companies. These are rivers loved by millions of people: if we can't protect the jewels of our waterways, then we are failing the nation."

"The fact that sewage overflows inside National Parks spill twice as long as those outside is scandalous. It's the legacy of crumbling and outdated infrastructure that was never built to handle the reality of modern climate or the millions who visit the parks every year. The very rivers that should be the cleanest and most cherished are instead saddled with third-rate systems."

Their report found only 42% of water bodies in the national parks were classed as having good ecological status. That was better than the 12% of rivers in healthy condition outside national parks.

About half the failing rivers in national parks are the result of farm or sewage pollution, or both.

A toxic chemical cocktail is polluting some rivers and lakes in national parks, the report said, including pharmaceuticals used by people and flea-killing chemicals used on dogs.

James Wallace, chief executive of River Action: "We are dismayed, but not surprised, that rivers in our treasured National Parks are polluted.

"These waters should be the cleanest in the country, yet they are treated as open sewers by profit-driven water companies and poorly regulated industrial-scale agriculture. The system is broken. Ofwat has failed and must be replaced with a regulator that puts people and nature before dividends.

"The Environment Agency must be properly resourced to enforce the law. We also need to end the failed experiment of water company privatisation and transition to a model where they are run for public benefit. Alongside this, there must be investment in nature-friendly farming and ambitious river restoration. Our National Parks deserve nothing less - and the public will not tolerate more excuses."

Water companies which cover national parks said they share customers' desire to protect and enhance the protected areas.

All firms are investing in improving their sewage overflow systems.