Whitstable protest to demand UK water industry reform
A big turnout is expected today in Whitstable, as protestors demand reform across the water industry.
Today, Whitstable will be the scene of a protest demanding urgent reform of the UK's water industry, driven by growing national concern over sewage pollution.
It's in response to heightened public awareness of the sewage discharge issue, and calls for more accountability.
Organised by SOS Whitstable, the demonstration is set to commence at 11am from the Tankerton Lifeguard Hut and proceed to Southern Water’s Swalecliffe treatment works.
The event will feature prominent figures from the clean water movement, including Feargal Sharkey, Ash Smith, Peter Hammond, Lena Swedlow, and Chris Stanley.
SOS Whitstable has previously held three protests since its inception, reflecting increasing public concern about the condition of the UK's rivers and coastal waters.
SOS Whitstable aims to draw attention to systemic issues within the water sector, such as sewage pollution, infrastructure-related flooding, and rising household bills.
A spokesperson for the group commented on the growing support, stating:
“The public response to Dirty Business shows how strongly people feel about the state of our waterways... Communities are facing higher bills while sewage pollution continues to harm rivers, seas and wildlife.”
In response, Southern Water's Environment and Innovation Director, Dr Nick Mills, said:
“We’re committed to reducing storm overflows and are doing this through our ten year £1.5bn Clean Rivers and Seas Plan, which is already starting to make a difference.
“In Whitstable, we’re harnessing both AI and nature-based solutions, and we’re investing around £90m of improvements to Swalecliffe Wastewater Treatment Works. Combined, this will dramatically reduce storm overflows in the area.”
“Our teams are also working to optimise our network in the town along with sealing sewers and separating surface water from roads, homes and businesses."
An Environment Agency spokesperson added:
“Dirty Business raises important issues about water quality, the actions of water companies and regulation of the sector over recent decades.
“Our priority is always to protect the environment for people and wildlife, and the organisation has undergone significant changes in recent years to better tackle water pollution. More people, better data and increased powers mean we will always act on intelligence of potential offences.
“This year we are on track to do 10,000 inspections of water company assets, rooting out wrongdoing and driving better performance. Since 2015 we have concluded 69 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies securing fines of over £153 million.”
Defra also responded:
“This government has taken action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. We’ve banned unfair bonuses, secured record levels of investment and introduced landmark legislation to hold water companies to account – including jail time for water company executives who obstruct investigations.
“Our long term reforms will mean there is a new, single regulator focused on preventing problems before they occur. We are ending the era of water company self-monitoring, introducing new MOT-style checks on water company assets and bringing in ‘no notice’ inspections to rebuild customer trust and protect the environment.”