Surfers Against Sewage – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Paddle-Out at Porty!

Protesters to take to the water at Portobello beach as sewage backlash intensifies

Thousands of protesters will take to coasts and rivers across the UK today to protest against the state of the nation’s waterways. The protests have been coordinated by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), who are calling for an end to the sewage discharges plaguing the UK’s rivers and seas, as sewage overflows continue to have a devastating impact on ecological and human health.

Over 30 protests are set to take place at local beaches and rivers, spanning locations from Edinburgh to Cornwall. Flagship protests are taking place at West Pier in Brighton and at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, with Olympian and keen paddle-boarder Dame Kelly Holmes set to join protesters on the south coast.

Edinburgh protestors will gather on Portobello beach at 10.30am.

Charlie Allanson-Oddy, founding member of the Porty Water Collective and SAS regional representative, who is helping to organise the Portobello protest, said: “Walking the beaches in Portobello, the reality of sewage scandal is clear with thousands of baby wipes washed up weekly.

Testing has repeatedly found dangerous levels of E.coli and chloroforms in the Figgate Burn, a freshwater source that runs through Scotland’s capital. Unlike England and Wales, Scottish Water is publicly owned: however they continue to ignore us.

“We are united in protest in Edinburgh to raise awareness of the shocking pollution of our waterways and demand change. Sewage dumping in our waters must stop.”

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Once again, the public face a grim choice this summer – risk swallowing shit or forgo a dip in the water.

“This year offers an opportunity to turn our collective anger into action and end the sewage scandal, with panicked politicians in listening mode, desperate to ride the waves of popular sentiment.

“A general election is imminent, and the public are out on the beachfronts and riverbanks making it clear that the issue of sewage pollution is at the top of the agenda. Ahead of the election, all parties need to show people genuine and quantifiable commitments to eliminate sewage pollution, or suffer the consequences.”

This year is a huge opportunity for action on sewage pollution. Water quality is predicted to be a core issue influencing voters in the next general election, which must happen before January 2025.

Meanwhile, in June, regulator Ofwat – whose role is to challenge and scrutinise water companies to ensure they deliver safe and reliable water to people and protect the environment – will deliver recommendations on water companies’ investment plans for the next five years (2025 – 2030).

Water companies have proposed plans for £11 billion in investment for reducing sewage discharges for this period, with customer bills increasing in tandem – a move that has sparked outrage among the public, particularly in the context of the profits paid out to water company bosses and shareholders year on year.

According to analysis by the Financial Times, water companies in England and Wales paid out £2.5bn in dividends in the two financial years since 2021 and a total of more than £78bn in dividends in the 33 years since privatisation.

Giles Bristow added: “Thousands are protesting on the water this weekend to let politicians, regulators and water companies know that the public aren’t going to let them wriggle out of demands for clean seas and rivers.

“We’re calling for plans that are ambitious enough to end sewage pollution in high-priority nature sites and the waters we surf, swim and paddle in by 2030, putting people and nature before profit. We won’t tolerate this broken system any longer.”

Sunrise at Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire national park, Wales

Double Gold medal-winning Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, who will be paddling out with protesters in Brighton, said:“I love nothing more than getting out into the open water on my paddle-board – it does wonders for my mental health, and there’s such a sense of community amongst those who use our wild waterways for sport and recreation.

“But this incredibly special pastime has been tainted for all of us by the persistent risk of getting sick from pollution. The poor state of our rivers and seas is shocking and infuriating.

“Whole generations are being deprived of the right to safely enjoy the benefits that blue spaces offer. Our waterways are for us and should be here to enjoy as they are so important for our collective health and wellbeing. Events costing thousands are getting cancelled. To see our rivers and seas being treated so appallingly by those responsible for looking after them is nothing short of a national scandal.

“I’m paddling out with Surfers Against Sewage and thousands of water-lovers across the country because I’m passionate about our waterways, I’m angry about what’s being done to them, and I want the polluters and those in power to hear our demands to end sewage pollution now.”

In 2023, there were 584,001 recorded discharges across England, Scotland and Wales – a 51% increase on the previous year – with sewage released into waterways for a total of 12,966,322 hours.

Of the 11 water companies with monitoring in place, United Utilities was the worst offender, reporting 97,537 discharges in 2023. Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water were hot on its heels, reporting 77,761 and 60,253 discharges respectively. SAS analysis has found that Welsh Water had a total of 108,860 discharges, although this is not directly comparable to England due to differing methods of reporting.

Paddle-outs will be taking place in the majority of water company catchments this weekend – including Scottish Water, where there were 15,289 spills last year, and Northern Ireland Water, where discharge figures are unavailable due to a lack of monitoring.

The Environment Agency boasts that 100% of storm overflows in England are now fitted with monitoring devices. However, analysis of this year’s Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data by SAS has revealed that EDM monitors at 1,930 storm overflows, 13.3% of the total monitored overflows, are operating at less than 90% capacity – which means the discharge figures for England in 2023 are an underestimate.

Sally McGee, Tynemouth protest organiser and SAS supporter, said: “Every surfer across the UK knows that they run the risk of getting sick if they surf. Many beaches on the beautiful coast around Tynemouth are subject to the discharge of raw sewage immediately after or during storms.

“You can smell and taste the difference in the water. It’s really upsetting and feels like we are going backwards in time.

“As a surfer, I believe we have a beautiful relationship with the ocean – we see it in all its glory, and we see it suffer. Up here, we share the ocean with bottlenose dolphins and common seals, whilst fulmar birds fly above us.

“When I surf and the water is brown from pollution as untreated sewage leaves the Tyne, I can only imagine how marine life endures it. We can choose if we surf, but it’s their everyday habitat.

“We are protesting in Tynemouth because we are outraged that water companies and our politicians have allowed this to happen. They have a vital role in society and are abusing their position. They must stop the greed, invest and do better. We demand an end to sewage discharges in our bathing waters by 2030.”

SAS is calling for an end to sewage discharges into all bathing waters and high-priority nature sites by 2030.

Community group fights sewage pollution in Portobello

Scottish Water discharged sewage 58,304 times in the last 5 years from just 4% of overflows

The latest water quality report from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) highlights a severe lack of accountability from Scottish Water.

Untreated sewage has been discharged by Scottish Water at least 14,008 times in 2022 alone.
Only 4% of Scottish Water’s 3,641 overflows are reported on, meaning these statistics are likely a huge underestimation.
Many popular bathing sites across Scotland, such as Portobello in Edinburgh, have no reporting whatsoever.
New Surfers Against Sewage Community Group will monitor water quality in Portobello area.

A new report released today by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) emphasises Scotland’s sewage blind spot due to a lack of reporting by Scottish Water.

Analysis of EDM data by SAS found that untreated sewage has been released into Scottish rivers and seas at least 58,304 times over the last 5 years. However, just 161 out of the 3,641 sewage overflows in Scotland were reported on during this time period meaning this figure is a gross underestimation of reality, with the true number of discharges likely to be in the 100,000s.

Under 4% of sewage overflows in Scotland are required to be reported on, a stark contrast to England and Wales where nearly 100% are monitored. This leaves the Scottish public in the dark about the performance of the other 96% of overflows and the impact these are having on Scottish rivers and coastline.

The little data that is reported by Scottish Water is patchy, according to SAS. Three sewage overflows that previously were reported on annually are now only required to report during the bathing season due to the license agreement approved by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Additionally, some overflows that were previously monitored now go entirely unreported and are labelled as having ‘no license requirement for reporting’.

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Yet again, our annual water quality report reveals the complacency and disregard of governments, water companies and regulators towards the health of rivers and coastlines in Scotland and across the UK – and by extension people’s health.

“How much do our blue spaces need to suffocate in sewage before those we elect to keep us safe and protect our environment wake up and smell the shit?

“We are seeing failure at every level – from governments and regulators failing to enforce the law, to water companies refusing to clean up their act – with the general public ending up the biggest loser every time.

“How many times can we say ‘enough is enough’? Our leaders need to prioritise transparency, ensure laws and regulations are properly enforced, and prevent water companies from continuing to pollute our blue spaces.”

Sicknesses due to sewage pollution reported to SAS reached 1,924 UK cases in the last year – nearly triple the number of cases reported a year prior. These cases resulted in 1,987 days taken off sick, which translates to 5 years of work lost to ill health caused by polluted waters.

Many of these sicknesses have led to hospitalisation, events cancelled, earnings lost, and businesses closed. As this data only covers cases reported to SAS, these numbers are likely to be the tip of the iceberg.

The Porty Water Collective was set up in response to the ongoing poor state of water quality in Portobello, which is impacted by several sewage overflows bringing sewage downstream into the sea via the Figgate Burn (known locally as the ‘Figgy Burn’).

Portobello is a popular beach with thousands of visitors, but notably has no reporting whatsoever. Users of the beach rarely have any idea if the area is safe to enjoy, or if they will unknowingly be swimming in sewage.

The Collective is conducting regular testing in the area with support from SAS to monitor water quality and raise awareness in the absence of any reporting from Scottish Water.

Charlie Allanson-Oddy, founding member of the Porty Water Collective and an SAS regional representative, said: “It’s obvious from walking the beaches, from the number of baby wipes, that there is a massive sewage-related problem – something that is ignored by SEPA and Scottish Water.

“What we know – from testing conducted in 2021, and now from the Collective’s current water quality testing backed by SAS – is that there are dangerously high levels of E. coli and chloroforms in the Figgy Burn from CSOs further upstream. Not all the locals know this.”

Scottish Water has made a promise to install monitoring equipment on 1,000 of the highest priority sewage overflows by 2024 with the remaining 2,600 to be considered in terms of cost and benefit.

SAS are calling on the Scottish Government to direct Scottish Water to install event duration monitoring on all overflows and for that data to be freely and easily accessible to the public in real-time so the Scottish public can make informed decisions when entering the water.

Additionally, SAS want the Scottish Government to set progressive sewage reduction targets to end untreated discharges into bathing waters, popular water usage areas, and high priority nature sites by 2030.

This year SAS developed the End Sewage Pollution Manifesto, which sets out the policies needed to clean up our rivers and seas.

Created in collaboration with environmental charities, sports governing bodies and community groups around the UK, the manifesto suggests a five-point plan to make the UK’s waters healthy and safe to enjoy again:

• Enforce the law and regulations

• Stop pollution for profit

• Prioritise high-risk pollution events

• Empower a nature-led approach to tackling sewage pollution

• Reveal the truth by ensuring UK-wide transparency on sewage pollution.

SAS-WaterQualityReport2023-NationFocus-Scotland Download

Trust in Scottish Water down the drain as Scots call for ban on bonuses

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.