STOP discharging untreated sewage in our bathing waters

Movement:The UK Sewage Scandal

The Issue

The Sewage Alert Service has warned the public three times in a two week period during June/July 2014 of untreated human sewage being discharged at Godrevy. South West Water are responsible for these discharges which have resulted in bathers and surfers being evacuated on beautiful sunny days. South West Water are discharging untreated human sewage during busy periods and blaming "recent heavy rainfall"

My son was surrounded by sewage whilst helping a local surf school teach ten school children to surf; and I was affected this week with a nasty stomach bug, as were the holiday makers staying at my chalet, after swimming at Gwithian beach. I had to have time off work and my guests had part of their holiday ruined due to illness.

Surfers Against Sewage have been warning the public for years about repeated sewage pollution at Godrevy and other beaches around the country, and yet South West Water still continue to discharge sewage at an unacceptable level. South West Water charge the highest water rates in the country, and we the undersigned are calling on them to dramatically limit their sewer overflow operations with immediate effect.

Please sign this petition and force SWW to clean up it's act now. It is totally disgusting and unacceptable!

avatar of the starter
Karin HoweyPetition Starter
Media enquiries
This petition had 6,531 supporters

The Issue

The Sewage Alert Service has warned the public three times in a two week period during June/July 2014 of untreated human sewage being discharged at Godrevy. South West Water are responsible for these discharges which have resulted in bathers and surfers being evacuated on beautiful sunny days. South West Water are discharging untreated human sewage during busy periods and blaming "recent heavy rainfall"

My son was surrounded by sewage whilst helping a local surf school teach ten school children to surf; and I was affected this week with a nasty stomach bug, as were the holiday makers staying at my chalet, after swimming at Gwithian beach. I had to have time off work and my guests had part of their holiday ruined due to illness.

Surfers Against Sewage have been warning the public for years about repeated sewage pollution at Godrevy and other beaches around the country, and yet South West Water still continue to discharge sewage at an unacceptable level. South West Water charge the highest water rates in the country, and we the undersigned are calling on them to dramatically limit their sewer overflow operations with immediate effect.

Please sign this petition and force SWW to clean up it's act now. It is totally disgusting and unacceptable!

avatar of the starter
Karin HoweyPetition Starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

south west water
south west water
Renslade House, Bonhay Road, Exeter EX4 3AW
Responded
“Dear All As you may know, when signing the petition ‘South West Water: Stop discharging untreated sewage in our bathing waters’ on Change.org, alerts are sent to the organisation you are petitioning. In this instance your petition is being received by Ofwat, and not South West Water. I believe this may have been done in error. I am responding on behalf of Ofwat, as the economic regulator of water and sewerage sector in England and Wales, and not South West Water. Ofwat does not manage or regulate South West Water’s actions in respect to overflow of sewage into bathing waters. If you have concerns you should contact South West Water (website) and the Environment Agency’s 24 hour incident line on 0800 80 70 60. The Environment Agency can investigate when a spill occurs and if they find that South West Water has failed in their duties to the environment, then they can take action. We understand the concern that untreated sewerage being released into the sea causes. That is why since 1989 South West Water has spent over £2billion on improving the sewerage system to significantly reduce the risk of such spills occurring. We have contacted South West Water about this spill and understand that it followed an increase in rainfall in the region, which would have flooded people’s homes if not released into the sea. Over the next 5 years South West Water will continue to invest millions of pounds into their sewerage network to reduce even further the possibilities of such events happening in the future. At privatisation of the water and sewerage sector in 1989, there were only 12 beaches awarded Blue Flag status – now there are more than 200 beaches gaining Blue Flag or Seaside Award status across England and Wales. Since 1989 £116 billion has been invested in the water and sewerage sector, which has gone to improving, amongst other things, our natural environment, including beaches and other water courses. We will keep in contact with South West Water to provide them with the final number of responses to this petition. I hope that I have been able to clarify the situation and also direct you to other organisations that would be able to provide further information and advice in this area. Yours sincerely Simon Markall Head of Public Affairs Ofwat ”

Petition Updates

Share this petition

Petition created on 7 July 2014