Could you get £200 off your water bill by spotting sewage and pollution? Northumbrian Water offers customers a discount if they monitor local rivers

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Dog walkers, runners and cyclists are being offered up to £200 off their water bill if they keep on the lookout for pollution.

Northumbrian Water is looking out for volunteers who regularly visit certain waterways in the North East that are known to be hot spots for sewage contamination.

The so-called 'water rangers' would agree to check the water once a fortnight or every week.

On the look out: Northumbrian Water is calling on walkers to help monitor waterways in exchange for a discount on their bills

In exchange they could receive up to £200 off their annual bills. Water rangers who go 'above and beyond' will also receive on the spot rewards and all volunteers will be invited along to an end of year celebration meal to say thank you.

Northumbrian Water has picked 32 public access routes next to rivers, streams and bathing water. Rangers would report back to the firm on the water condition after the walk and raise the alarm if anything looks amiss so any pollution could be dealt with quickly.

A spokesperson said the ranger scheme is not replacing any jobs, but is intended to boost the firm's water monitoring.

The firm added that since it covers an area of 9,422 square kilometres, it is difficult to visit all the time.

Keen angler Den Lilley, 71, from Newton Hall, Durham, has already signed up and will patrol a section of the Wear near the city centre.

He said: 'I thoroughly enjoy birdwatching and fishing so it's great to be able to give something back to help look after the environment which gives me so much pleasure.

'I am also chairman of Durham City Angling Club and having clean water in the River Wear is vital for our fishermen to be able to enjoy their sport and also to the club to ensure we maintain and attract new members.

'The water rangers scheme reflects the effort that Northumbrian Water is putting into being able to react and deal with pollution quickly. I think it is very admirable.'

Northumbrian Water wastewater director Richard Warneford said: 'We monitor our sewer network very closely by using technology and manual inspections and we are continually maintaining and upgrading the network.

'Northumbrian Water's supply area is vast - we cover a geographical area of 9,422 square kilometres and we monitor and look after thousands of assets, including more than 29,500 kilometres of sewer pipe.

'Pollution from our assets is something we are taking very seriously and working very hard to tackle.

'The Water Rangers scheme will provide us with further information and knowledge to help us do this.'

Tow path watch: Cyclists and walkers could save money by keeping an eye out for pollution while out along waterways