Have you witnessed raw sewage on UK beaches this summer?
Pollution warnings were put in place across more than 40 beaches and swimming spots in England and Wales after heavy rain overwhelmed sewer systems last week, leading water companies to release sewage into the natural environment.
Alerts were still in place for beaches in Devon, Kent, Lancashire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Essex, Somerset and Norfolk as of Sunday afternoon.
Ministers are facing growing calls to clamp down on the water firms to ensure they invest money back into the UK’s water infrastructure.
However, Neil Cutts, an activist from Surfers Against Sewage, said he does not have the sense that anyone in the current or the incoming government is prepared to do anything to tackle the issue.
Speaking to Times Radio on Sunday, Mr Cutts said the overflows are happening on almost a weekly basis in some areas like Brighton and Cornwall, and not just when there is heavy rainfall.
Asked whether anyone in government appears prepared to respond, Mr Cutts said: “Unfortunately, no – not at this time because it’s not a new thing.
“Surfers Against Sewage, by the name, has been campaigning for this since the 90s.
“It’s got slightly better but it’s still not changed and unless there is some quite serious legislation brought in by the Government who is in power, it’s going to continue for the foreseeable future.”
On how water companies respond to Surfers Against Sewage’s calls for investment in the infrastructure, Mr Cutts said: “They tend to not listen, to be honest.
“They tend to hide because they are protected slightly by the Government as well – and a series of governments, not just the one that’s currently in power at the moment.”
Mr Cutts also said they get fined “peanuts” by the regulator Ofwat in comparison to what they make.
He said the water companies should put more filters onto the outfall pipes to prevent the worst of the pollution from being pumped into the sea, which includes sanitary products.
He claimed the main issue is underfunding to fix the problems, adding: “The water companies need to step up and say: ‘Yeah, we’re wrong here and we need to do something about it’.”
Figures obtained from the Environment Agency through Freedom of Information requests showed that raw sewage has been pumped into UK waterways for a total of 9,427,355 hours since 2016.
The Liberal Democrats said the problem was a “national scandal” as its analysis showed the 22 water company executives in the UK were paid £24.8 million, including £14.7 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives in 2021/2022.
Do you believe water companies are putting profit over the environment? Should they be fined more by Ofwat when they cause problems?
