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Southern Water sparks fury with ‘absolutely disgusting’ sewage dumping plans

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/southern-water-sparks-fury-absolutely-disgusting-sewage-dumping-plans

 A general view of Silver Sands Beach, Isle of Wight

SOUTHERN WATER has sparked fury with “absolutely disgusting” plans to dump sewage into a major Isle of Wight tourist hotspot, which is home to rare seagrass habitats and seahorses.

The utility firm announced it will add a 22-metre extension to an old sewage pipe to release untreated waste into shallow lagoon waters at Silver Sands Beach on Bembridge Point during heavy rainfall several times a year. 

Located near Bembridge Harbour on the island’s east coast, the area is regularly visited by holidaymakers and water users and is home to an array of habitats and species, including rare offshore seagrass meadows, seahorses, Mediterranean gulls and herrings.

Local residents and campaigners have hit out over the plan’s potential harm to marine ecosystems, the negative impact on local tourist businesses, and public health risks from diseases such as E.coli and enterococci.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) chief executive Giles Bristow said: “People are rightly furious. 

“Southern Water wants communities to accept more sewage pollution on their beaches while its CEO Lawrence Gosden took home £1.4 million last year — double his previous pay packet.”

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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/southern-water-sparks-fury-absolutely-disgusting-sewage-dumping-plans

April 2023 Surfers Against Sewage and Extinction Rebellion protests in St Agnes, Perranporth, Truro and Charlestown which unveiled spoof Blue Plaques to the MPs and Conservative Government who allowed raw sewage to be dumped in the sea (Image: Surfers Against Sewage)
April 2023 Surfers Against Sewage and Extinction Rebellion protests in St Agnes, Perranporth, Truro and Charlestown which unveiled spoof Blue Plaques to the MPs and Conservative Government who allowed raw sewage to be dumped in the sea (Image: Surfers Against Sewage)

Continue ReadingSouthern Water sparks fury with ‘absolutely disgusting’ sewage dumping plans

‘They’re a private company, run for profit!’: fury in Kent at South East Water’s outages

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/28/anger-kent-south-east-water-outages

Water company blames increased demand in extreme heat, but customers want answers about lack of storage reservoirs

“Spitting, fuming, angry and powerless” is how Pat Prestage describes her emotions after a water outage that has affected thousands of homes in Kent during the heatwave.

On Wednesday, 8,000 South East Water customers in Whitstable lost water, with 14,000 more in Tankerton, Ashford, and its surrounding areas facing an intermittent supply or low pressure. South East Water’s incident manager, Matthew Dean, said on Thursday that 22,000 people had had water supply problems.

The company blamed increased demand in the hot weather and asked people to use water only for essential purposes.

…

The Prestages are angry at the company’s response, particularly its co-option of what the couple describe as the “blitz spirit” in asking customers with water to ease up on their usage to help those without.

“They talk to the public as if they’re a public service. They’re a private company, run for profit!” says Pat. “Some of the money we’re paying, they’re pocketing, and it’s not going into the reservoir we’ve needed for 40 years.”

Martin says “the inference is almost that it’s our fault”.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/28/anger-kent-south-east-water-outages

Continue Reading‘They’re a private company, run for profit!’: fury in Kent at South East Water’s outages

Surfers to ‘paddle out’ across Britain in protest over failing water sector

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/surfers-paddle-out-across-britain-protest-over-failing-water-sector

 People take part in a protest by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), in Falmouth, who are calling for an end to the sewage discharges plaguing the UK’s rivers and seas, May 18, 2024

SURFERS are set to paddle out across Britain’s coasts, rivers and lakes tomorrow in nationwide protests demanding an end to private ownership of the water sector.

Led by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), groups will gather at more than 50 locations for the annual protest.

Protesters in England will also oppose the Water Reform Bill, announced in the King’s Speech on Wednesday, which they say will entrench privatisation in law rather than reverse it.

Ministers have ruled out returning water companies to public ownership. An annual survey by the Consumer Council for Water found that trust in water companies has plunged to a new low, with most concerns centring on sewage mismanagement and soaring bills.

SAS chief executive Giles Bristow said: “The Water Reform Bill is nothing more than a whitewash, locking in a failed system that has seen pollution, shareholder profits and consumer bills soar over three decades.

“Public support for privatised water has all but vanished and while thousands take to the beaches in protest, the government is burying its head in the sand.”

Polling commissioned by SAS found that only 7 per cent of adults in England believe water companies should remain privately owned.

Some 77 per cent supported a change in operating model, with 35 per cent backing full public ownership.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/surfers-paddle-out-across-britain-protest-over-failing-water-sector

Continue ReadingSurfers to ‘paddle out’ across Britain in protest over failing water sector

Private firms providing services to NHS made £1.6bn profit in two years, research finds

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https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/apr/13/private-companies-nhs-services-profit-chpi-research

The profits would be enough to pay for 9,178 doctors or 19,428 nurses during the period. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

[Guardian] Exclusive: MPs say profit-making levels in England are ‘scandalous’ and call for cap on amount private companies can make from NHS

Private firms providing services to the NHS including healthcare and consultancy have made £1.6bn in profits over the last two years, research reveals.

The findings – on the basis of contracts worth £12bn – have prompted claims of “scandalous” profiteering, concern that the health service is being “taken for a ride” and calls for ministers to impose a cap on maximum profit levels.

The £1.6bn in profits made in 2023-24 and 2024-25 would have been enough to pay for 9,178 doctors or 19,428 nurses during that time, according to the Centre for Health and the Public Interest.

Its findings are based on analysis of NHS contracts in England, with 760 private firms providing services including diagnostic tests such as CT scans to patients, and treatments including hip and knee replacements, and for skin problems and mental health conditions.

The thinktank found:

  • £2bn of the £12bn of contracts went to firms with owners based outside the UK.
  • £533m of that £2bn went to companies owned by people living in tax havens such as Jersey and the Cayman Islands.
  • Firms, especially those owned by private equity outfits, used £353m of their £12bn NHS income to pay interest on debts.

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Original article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/apr/13/private-companies-nhs-services-profit-chpi-research

Continue ReadingPrivate firms providing services to NHS made £1.6bn profit in two years, research finds

Sewage flowed into rivers, lakes and seas for 1.87 million hours in 2025

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sewage-flowed-rivers-lakes-and-seas-187-million-hours-2025

 A tanker pumping out excess sewage from the Lightlands Lane sewage pumping station in Cookham, Berskhire which flooded after heavy rainfall, January 10, 2024

SEWAGE flowed into England’s waterways for more than 1.87 million cumulated hours in 2025 despite drier conditions than prior years, official figures released today showed.

Nearly 300,000 incidents of untreated sewage were spilled through overflow systems into rivers, lakes and seas last year.

The practice of dumping sewage is meant to take place only in what water companies call “exceptional circumstances,” meant to prevent sewers from being overwhelmed in case of storms or heavy rain and backing up into homes.

Findings from the second year of full monitoring of the network by the Environmental Agency revealed that there were 291,492 spills of this type across England in 2025.

Despite these figures marking a reduction from the previous year, down more than a third (35 per cent) from 450,398 in 2024, campaigners have continued to slam the mismanagement of Britain’s water systems, calling for private water firms to be taken back into public control.

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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sewage-flowed-rivers-lakes-and-seas-187-million-hours-2025

April 2023 Surfers Against Sewage and Extinction Rebellion protests in St Agnes, Perranporth, Truro and Charlestown which unveiled spoof Blue Plaques to the MPs and Conservative Government who allowed raw sewage to be dumped in the sea (Image: Surfers Against Sewage)
April 2023 Surfers Against Sewage and Extinction Rebellion protests in St Agnes, Perranporth, Truro and Charlestown which unveiled spoof Blue Plaques to the MPs and Conservative Government who allowed raw sewage to be dumped in the sea (Image: Surfers Against Sewage)
Continue ReadingSewage flowed into rivers, lakes and seas for 1.87 million hours in 2025