New data from Surfers Against Sewage reveals the extent of anger at polluting water companies, as charity prepares to mobilise public in first ever mass paddle-out protest later this month.
· A mammoth 83% of residents in the Scotland support a ban on bonuses for CEOs who fail to adhere to minimum environmental standards.
· Trust in water companies is at rock bottom, with less than a fifth (16%) of adults confident that Scottish Water is using their money to improve services.
· In response to rising public anger, volunteers backed by Surfers Against Sewage will coordinate a paddle-out protest against sewage pollution at Portobello Beach, Edinburgh on May 20, one of multiple events occurring simultaneously across the UK.
· Surfers Against Sewage is demanding calling for an end to sewage discharges into UK bathing waters and a 90% reduction in sewage discharges by 2030.
New data from charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has revealed the extent of public distrust in Scottish Water amid ongoing outrage at the levels of pollution occurring in Scottish and UK waterways.
The UK Government and regulators have also come under fire, with 7 in 10 (69%) saying the UK Government should be doing more to tackle sewage pollution. An even bigger proportion (80%) think water company regulators need to do more to make sure water companies reduce sewage pollution.
The survey data also reveals the issues that are most likely to inform the public’s vote at the next election. A quarter (23%) of Scots report that environmental issues will be their most important factor for voting. Among these people, 6 in 10 (62%) said they cared about water pollution the most.
SAS are seeking to convert public outrage into action by staging a mass paddle-out protest against sewage pollution, featuring simultaneous events at beaches and rivers across the UK on Saturday 20 May.
Josh Harris, Head of Communications at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Last year water companies paid out a combined £1 billion to their shareholders while dumping sewage into UK waterways almost 400,000 times.
“It’s time to put an end to this shameless profiteering. Water companies should not be allowed to profit from pollution, and our data shows that the public agree, with a huge majority calling for an end to industry fat cats pocketing bonuses whilst failing to meet minimum environmental standards.
“And it’s not just the water companies that need to clean up their act. The Government and regulators should be enforcing high standards and holding water companies to account, but it’s clear to the public that they’re not doing enough. We’ve suffered decades of broken sewers because of our broken system, and now the public have had enough and are demanding an to end this sewage scandal.”
The data also reveals the importance of river and sea spots for Scots’ physical and mental health.
Over half in Scotland (56%) say access to blue space is beneficial for their physical health, whilst nearly half (41%) go so far as to say that having limited access to blue space is detrimental for their mental health. Despite this, nearly two thirds (62%) say sewage pollution puts them off going in the sea and rivers in the UK.
Josh Harris, Head of Communications at Surfers Against Sewage, continued: “We’re urging anyone who feels passionately about protecting our blue spaces to join us on 20 May as we rise up against the polluters and stage a mass paddle-out protest across the UK. Water companies are wreaking havoc on our precious rivers and seas, and we refuse to stay silent. Head to your nearest protest and make your voice heard.”
At least 12 protests will take place across the UK on 20 May, at key locations covering each water company catchment. Swimmers, paddlers, surfers, canoers, kayakers, paddle-boarders, windsurfers and anyone who cares about the health of their local blue spaces will take to the water, beach or riverbank to make their demands heard. SAS are also urging the public to sign their ‘Dirty Money’ petition, which demands an end to water companies profiting from pollution.
Kim Travers, a volunteer who is organising the paddle-out protest in Edinburgh, said: “We are calling for year-round water monitoring and an end to sewage pollution by 2030.”
To mark the protests, SAS have worked with Niall Jones – a Cornwall-based product designer and owner of Benthos Surf – and creative agency Mr President to develop a surfboard to represent the extent of sewage pollution in UK seas and rivers.
Jones collected raw sewage from the sea and turned it into resin that soaked into the board, creating unexpected patterns. To maximise the impact of the design, he included two transparent windows in the top of the board that display the two litres of sewage water contained within.
Mr President have created a video highlighting the extent of the sewage scandal in the UK, and featuring interviews with and footage of Ben Skinner, 11x European Longboard Champion, and other surfers riding the waves on the Floater.
SAS’s new data comes just weeks after data from water companies and the Environment Agency revealed that sewage was dumped into UK rivers and seas in England, Scotland and Wales just under 400,000 times last year, despite 2022 being one of the driest years in decades.
Last year SAS found evidence of 143 ‘dry spills’ – sewage overflows that occurred when there had been no rain for two days – indicating potentially illegal activity by water companies.
The charity is calling for an end to sewage discharge into UK bathing waters and a 90% reduction in sewage discharges by 2030.
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