Most inland bathing spots in UK have unsafe levels of pollution, report finds

The bulk of fashionable inland bathing spots successful the UK surveyed successful a study person been recovered to beryllium unsafe for swimming.

In a typical illustration of fashionable swimming and h2o sports locations, 60% were recovered to person contamination astatine unsafe levels, the yearly study from run radical Surfers Against Sewage found.

Forty locations were sampled play by unpaid national scientists passim the 2023 bathing season. Twenty were fashionable sites for bathing, and 20 were upstream of a adjacent sewage overflow associated with those swimming spots. Using Environment Agency methodology, 24 of the 40 locations would beryllium deemed “poor” quality, and 4 of 20 bathing sites showed a wide alteration successful h2o prime from locations upstream to downstream of a sewage overflow.

The study highlights that this year, untreated sewage was discharged much than 399,864 times into UK waterways – the equivalent of much than 1,000 discharge events each day. Surfers Against Sewage has besides reported 1,924 cases of sickness owed to suspected sewage contamination successful the past twelvemonth – astir triple the fig of cases reported successful the erstwhile year. The cases resulted successful 1,987 days taken disconnected sick.

The lawsuit of Reuben Santer, a physics teacher astatine a secondary schoolhouse successful Exeter, is highlighted successful the report. He contracted an incurable information called Ménierè’s illness aft surfing astatine Saunton Beach successful Devon. Santer said his doctors told him the corruption was owed to a microorganism oregon bacteria entering his receptor during his surf. He had to halt moving for a clip aft his infection.

Santer said: “I person ne'er been anxious astir thing successful my life, but this acquisition has decidedly made maine disquieted that symptoms volition travel backmost erstwhile driving, surfing, astatine work, oregon successful immoderate concern wherever vertigo could beryllium dangerous.”

After the Guardian revealed that the UK is to diverge from EU h2o monitoring standards successful England, campaigners fearfulness the concern could worsen further.

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Yet again, our yearly h2o prime study reveals the complacency and disregard of governments, h2o companies and regulators towards the wellness of rivers and coastlines successful the UK – and by hold people’s health. How overmuch bash our bluish spaces request to suffocate successful sewage earlier those we elite to support america harmless and support our situation aftermath up and odor the shit?

“We are seeing nonaccomplishment astatine each level – from governments and regulators failing to enforce the law, to h2o institution abdominous cats pocketing soiled wealth and refusing to cleanable up their enactment – with the wide nationalist ending up the biggest loser each time. How galore times tin we accidental ‘enough is enough’? Our leaders request to prioritise transparency, guarantee laws and regulations are decently enforced, and forestall h2o companies profiting from pollution.”

Steve Reed, the shadiness situation secretary, said: “The h2o manufacture is breached aft 13 years of Tory government, with stinking, toxic sewage lapping up connected our rivers, lakes, and seas. It is disgusting that families and children cannot bask our waters without the menace of getting sick. Despite this gross negligence, consumers are present expected to wage higher h2o bills, whilst CEOs are pocketing millions successful bonuses.”

The h2o minister, Rebecca Pow, said: “We hold the measurement of contamination successful our waters is utterly unacceptable, and this is the archetypal authorities successful past to instrumentality specified broad enactment to tackle it. Our program for h2o is delivering much investment, stronger regularisation and tougher enforcement to guarantee each overflow is monitored, trim each sources of contamination and manus retired swifter fines and penalties.

“This program includes targets truthful strict they are starring to the largest infrastructure programme successful h2o institution past – £60bn implicit 25 years – which successful crook volition effect successful hundreds of thousands less sewage discharges.”