Thousands of water users will take to beaches, rivers and lakes across the UK this Saturday (17 May) in a mass protest against sewage pollution.
Coordinated by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), more than 40 Paddle-Out Protests will call for a complete overhaul of the water industry in England and Wales – and better monitoring in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The protests come as the bathing season opens – but new polling commissioned by SAS shows public confidence in water quality is low.
Just 19% of UK adults believe they’ll be able to swim safely in their local area by 2030 without risking their health due to pollution.
Over half (54%) say they worry about getting sick if they swim in British waters.
Giles Bristow, CEO at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “The thousands paddling out across the UK are letting the water companies, government and Independent Water Commission know, loud and clear, that we will not accept another year of risking our health to swim in the sea.”
Last year, untreated sewage was discharged on average once every 60 seconds.
During the 2023 bathing season alone, there were 8,704 discharges in England – more than 60 a day.
SAS is calling for an end to sewage pollution, greater investment in infrastructure, and real-time alerts at all bathing waters.
The charity’s Safer Seas & Rivers Service app already provides alerts for over 450 locations but cannot operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland due to poor monitoring.
Sea swimmer Shelley Sim, hospitalised after swimming in polluted water, will join the Belhaven Bay protest.
She said: “I’m joining the Paddle-Out because sewage doesn’t belong in our seas. Clean water is a right, not a luxury.”
SAS is encouraging the public to write to their MP and demand urgent action.
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