"I'm never giving up and going away' vows water campaigner Jo - ahead of the premiere of a film about her fight
Despite international praise for her campaigning, Jo says it's made it harder to find a part-time job as she's seen as a 'troublemaker'
Last updated 8th Oct 2025
A film about her life is about to premiere, but the Devon woman trying to take South West Water to court says her story is far from over.
The documentary-style movie follows the now 64 year old who was stopped from sea swimming because of sewage for 10 days in December 2023.
Jo Bateman says she won't watch 'Jo In The Water' until the premiere at Exeter's Phoenix next month - but has welcomed the movie as a way of keeping pressure on the water industry and Government to take action.
She said: "I do feel like progress is being made. Obviously, my legal case is still ongoing and that's going to be ongoing for quite some considerable length of time. But because of the case the lawyers Leigh Day have now started a group action in Exmouth which is essentially, if you like, the people of Exmouth versus South West Water.
"Through the filming it's led into working with other organisations and so Surfers Against Sewage are big with this and they're supporting the film. River Action UK is supporting the film, it's just grown and grown and grown. Although it's called 'Jo In The Water' and obviously I'm the one who is the catalyst for it, it is about so much more than just me."
Jo admits whilst she's been inundated with support, her campaigning has impacted other areas of her life - after being repeatedly turned down for minimum wage part time jobs.
“I think that potential employers probably Google my name and see there's a lot of stuff about me online. I'm proud of every single bit of it but I suspect that if prospective employers look at it they might think 'she's a troublemaker we don't want her'.
“I do think I have very definitely made myself unemployable."
She added: "The support I get is phenomenal. You know what social media is like these days, there are trolls everywhere. I can honestly say that all the comments, and messages and so on that I get on social media are massively positive."
Through the film, Jo hopes to highlight the lack of a legal right to swim in the UK and also the David and Goliath nature of trying to take on the water industry.
There's more details about Jo's legal case via Leigh Day here
When asked if she thinks her case will ever reach court, she replied: "In terms of my legal case and where it's going, it's moving on.
"On the face of it I know that it probably looks to a lot of people like nothing is happening and I've just given up and gone away so I would just like to reassure people that nothing could be further from the truth.
“I am never giving up and going away, there is a lot going on behind the scenes."
Film producer Phil Webb added: "As Jo’s courage helps ignite a growing movement, this film exposes the dire state of our water system and asks: who will stand up for our right to swim in clean natural waters, for the species and communities that rely upon them?
"It is not just about water pollution; it is about connection—to nature, to our own sense of place, and to our responsibility for the world around us."
Jo in the Water will have its world cinema premiere at Exeter Phoenix at 2:30pm on Sunday 16th November. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Jo, director Pip Piper and Surfers Against Sewage CEO Giles Bristow and a special after-party with live DJ and acoustic performances from some of the musicians involved in the film. The documentary also features Jeremy Vine, Chris Packham and Jim Murray MBE.
The official website of the film can be found here
Tickets for the premiere can be found here
What has South West Water said?
Richard Price, Managing Director of Wastewater Services at South West Water, said: “We were one of just five water companies in England to reduce storm overflow spills last year – and that’s despite the wettest hydrological year on record and the unique geography we manage in our region.
"Our focus has been clear: tackling the sites that matter most to our customers. We’ve cut spills at bathing beaches by 20% over the last five years and removed three-quarters of the top 20 highest spilling sites from 2023.
"This is all part of our long-term plan – a 15-year journey backed by major investment and innovation to reduce the use of storm overflows.
"Change on this scale takes time, but the results are starting to show and we remain on track to become the first water company to meet the Government target of less than 10 spills per overflow, per year - a decade early.
"We’re also leading the way on data and transparency – monitoring more often, more accurately, and detecting even the shortest spills, giving us one of the clearest pictures in the industry. There’s still more to do, but we’re heading in the right direction – driven by our determination to deliver what matters most to our customers."
What has the Government said?
In July the Government published a 'roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector' and made 88 recommendations which can be found here