Sewage alerts issued for almost 50 beaches in England and Wales

17 August 2022, 13:20

Swimmers have been warned of pollution and sewage discharges at numerous beaches on English coastlines, linked to the heavy rain.

According to data gathered by environmental campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), there has been storm sewage discharge into the waters at beaches in Cornwall, Devon, Sussex, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Cumbria.

A spokeswoman for SAS said other pollution warnings in place may not be linked to heavy rain, and those visiting the coast are advised to check its interactive map on their website before they swim.

Video footage has surfaced online showing what appears to be raw sewage being released into the open sea at Seaford in East Sussex.

Most of the affected beaches are in the south of England, with Southend-on-Sea and Newquay both badly affected, with four beaches closed today.

The most concentrated areas of pollution are across the south coast including Cornwall and Devon. Beaches on the Isle of Wight are also affected.

Southern Water is one of the water companies responsible for some of the worst affected regions, along with Wessex Water and South West Water.

Read more: Amber thunderstorm alert for London and south east warning of flooding, power cuts and lightning strikes

In a statement, Southern Water said: "There were thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain the night before last and yesterday [Tuesday]. Storm releases were made to protect homes, schools and businesses from flooding. The release is 95-97% rainwater and so should not be described as raw sewage.

"We know customers do not like that the industry has to rely on these [discharges] to protect them, and we are pioneering a new approach."

The Met Office has issued an amber alert for thunderstorms on Wednesday covering a swathe of England from Chichester to Ipswich and including London and all of Kent.

The warning, which runs from 11am to 10pm, said flooding of homes and businesses is "likely", with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

Fast flowing or deep floodwater is also said to be "likely, causing danger to life".

In a separate development, Thames Water, which supplies 15 million people, will begin a hosepipe ban on August 24, the company said.

In a statement on its website, the company added: "After the driest July on record, and below-average rainfall in 10 of the last 12 months, water levels in our rivers and reservoirs are much lower than usual. We have more teams reducing leakage than ever before, working 24/7 to find and fix more than 1,100 leaks every week. The recent heatwaves mean that demand for water is also at record levels.

"We've been working around the clock to supply everyone, and customers have been brilliant at saving water where they can. But, with low rainfall forecast for the coming months, we now need to take the next step in our drought plan. Everything we do now will help protect supplies next summer and help the environment.

"We know these restrictions impact your day-to-day activities around your home and beyond, and we're grateful for your support."