Surfers Against Sewage (SAS)

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

Spread the love

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.

…

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

Sewage could have been pumped into Scotland’s rivers, lochs and seas every 90 seconds, warn campaigners

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sewage-could-have-been-pumped-scotlands-rivers-lochs-and-seas-every-90-seconds-warn

The snow-covered peak of Beinn Eighe and the mountains of Torridon are reflected in Loch Droma near Ullapool, Wester Ross, December 3, 2023

RAW sewage could have been pumped into Scotland’s rivers, lochs, and seas every 90 seconds last year, according to a new report by campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

While Scottish Water recorded 23,498 sewage discharges lasting a total of 208,377 hours in 2024, this accounts for only 6.7 per cent of the company’s total network, the research found.

Just 1,116 of Scottish Water’s 4,080 “combined sewage overflows” — where sewage is released directly into waterways or the sea — appear on its real-time sewage discharge map.

That 73 per cent data gap means SAS’s Safer Seas and Rivers Service providing sewage alerts across Britain is forced to leave Scotland blank, but their latest report estimates the public are being put at risk with as many as 364,629 effectively unreported discharges a year — amounting one every 90 seconds.

SAS chief executive Giles Bristow slammed “Scottish Water’s reckless approach to monitoring and public safety.”

He said: “Scotland’s coastline, lochs and rivers are some of the most stunning on the planet, with surfers, swimmers and paddle boarders wanting to make the most of these beautiful blue spaces.

“But these waters are far from pristine.

“With no legal requirement to issue sewage alerts in Scotland, water users have no idea whether or not it’s safe to enter the water.

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sewage-could-have-been-pumped-scotlands-rivers-lochs-and-seas-every-90-seconds-warn

Continue ReadingSewage could have been pumped into Scotland’s rivers, lochs and seas every 90 seconds, warn campaigners

Quarter of adults consider refusing to pay water bills amid sewage outrage

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/quarter-adults-consider-refusing-pay-water-bills-amid-sewage-outrage

Money is stacked on top of an water bill

AS FRUSTRATION grows over failure to tackle pollution, new research revealed yesterday that over a quarter of adults in England have considered withholding water bill payments.

A new report from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has accused the water industry of falling short of the Environment Agency’s target to reduce pollution incidents by 40 per cent.

Instead, they recorded a 30 per cent increase to 2,487 incidents, the highest in a decade.

Polling 2,000 adults, SAS found that 27 per cent of people in England have considered not paying their bill due to the actions of their water supplier.

Water bills surged by 47 per cent this month and are expected to keep rising, with customers projected to pay £160 more in 2030 compared with 2024.

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/quarter-adults-consider-refusing-pay-water-bills-amid-sewage-outrage

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 ReadingQuarter of adults consider refusing to pay water bills amid sewage outrage