Sewage pollution at beaches poses public health risk, say campaign group
Campaigners from Surfers Against Sewage are demanding action as swimmers report sickness linked to contaminated waters
Families seeking enjoyment at Devon and Cornwall beaches have been affected by sewage pollution, posing a health risk according to campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).
New data reveals that sewage was discharged into England's waters for over 43,000 hours during July and August.
Among the affected locations are Readymoney Cove in Cornwall and Plymouth Hoe East in Devon, where sewage overflowed into designated bathing waters.
Read more: Surfers Against Sewage make their 2026 demands
This has led to 636 sickness reports, including cases of gastroenteritis and infections, with some hospitalisations.
The summer months also saw high pollution incidents during unexpected dry conditions, despite permissions allowing discharge only during heavy rainfall.
The August Bank Holiday alone saw sewage released into bathing spots for over 800 hours, triggering alerts at 105 locations.
Giles Bristow, Chief Executive at SAS, criticised the situation, stating that it constitutes a public health crisis due to the practices of water companies prioritising profit over safety.
Keeva Hollow, an eight-year-old, fell ill after swimming at Avon Beach in Dorset, highlighting the serious implications of contaminated bathing waters.
Keeva's mother, Aisling McCarthy, expressed concern over the lack of response from relevant authorities regarding safety issues.
In reaction to ongoing pollution, SAS delivered a petition with over 330,000 signatures to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, demanding the introduction of a Clean Water Bill.
The charity aims to reform the water industry by enforcing stricter regulations through the proposed legislation.
Campaigners urge the Prime Minister and MPs to take decisive action to ensure the water sector operates for public benefit rather than profit.
SAS hopes the Clean Water Bill will be prioritised on the political agenda as Parliament resumes from Summer Recess.
Their call for action resonates with past tragedies, such as eight-year-old Heather Preen's case, which has raised awareness about the dire consequences of water contamination.
Campaigners believe the Bill presents an opportunity to remove the profit-driven motive from water companies and restore safe access to beloved beaches.
'We know the status quo isn't working'
A Defra spokesperson said: "We know the water industry hasn’t been working in the public interest for far too long and it’s totally unacceptable to see the scale of discharges polluting our rivers, lakes, and seas.
"Storm overflows should only be used in very specific circumstances, and this government has already taken action against water companies who are failing to perform, making it a criminal offence to cover up illegal sewage spills.
"But we know the status quo isn’t working, and it’s why we’re driving forward the biggest overhaul of the water sector in a generation to deliver improved water quality for swimmers across the country and creating a powerful new regulator to hold companies to account."
'No sewage spill is ever acceptable'
A Water UK spokesperson said: “The latest data from the Environment Agency show 87% of bathing waters achieved a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating. This is a stark contrast to the 1990s when less than a third of bathing waters would have met today’s standards.
“No sewage spill is ever acceptable, and we are working to end them as fast as we physically can. That’s why we are tripling investment to halve spills from storm overflows by 2030 and upgrade the capacity of 1,700 wastewater treatment works.”
'We share the public's concern'
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We share the public’s concern about water quality and know there is more to do. That’s why we’re delivering the largest investment in wastewater infrastructure for a century right across the North West, helping to protect and enhance more than 500 kilometres of rivers, lakes and coastline.”
'There is more to do'
A spokesperson for South West Water previously told us: “We know people want to enjoy the sea and rivers all year round, and water quality is extremely important to swimmers, surfers and local communities.
“The South West is home to a third of the nation’s bathing beaches, and in 2025 over 96% were rated ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ by the Environment Agency. All bathing waters in our region designated in 2024 met Defra’s expectations.
“Alongside this, we are making progress to reduce storm overflow spills. Over the last five years we have cut spills at beaches by 20% and removed three-quarters of the top 20 highest-spilling sites from 2023. We are also investing £760 million over the next five years to further reduce the use of storm overflows.
“There is more to do, but we are making progress and remain committed to delivering cleaner, healthier waters for the communities we serve.”