Forty-one paddlers and swimmers have taken to the water at Viking Bay to protest against Southern Water releasing sewage into the sea and rivers.
Surfers Against Sewage organised a national day of action to highlight the continued threat to seas, rivers and lakes. Members of Save our Seas Ramsgate, Rise Up Clean Up Margate, Thanet Friends of the Earth and Plastic Free Thanet joined the protest.
Green Party Parliamentary candidate for East Thanet Steve Roberts, who was at the protest, said: “It is a disgrace that Southern Water regularly dumps sewage into our seas. This takes away our right to swim in the sea and damages our reputation as a holiday destination.
“The Green Party would bring water companies back into public ownership so that profit currently been given out to shareholders would be invested in updating infrastructure.”
Surfers Against Sewage say: “With an upcoming general election happening in the same year water companies are setting out their investment plans, 2024 is the year to turn the tide on the sewage scandal.”
Polly Billington, Labour’s candidate to be MP for East Thanet, also joined the paddle out. She said: “I will make tackling the sewage scandal one of my top priorities as MP for East Thanet because it impacts all of us.
“Filthy water isn’t just an environmental issue: it’s a health and economic issue too. Local businesses tell me it is affecting their livelihoods here in Thanet. That is why a future Labour government will make the water bosses face criminal charges if they fail to tackle sewage dumping, block their bonuses until they clean up their filth and impose fines they cannot ignore.
“It’s clear Thanet residents care as so many attended today: now we need a government that will act.”
Nationally, Environment Agency data shows there were 3.6 million hours of spills in 2023, compared to 1.75 million hours in 2022. Southern Water sewage spills lasted for a total of 317,285 hours in 2023.
Last July releases from two outfall pipes in Margate affected six Thanet beaches – Margate, Fulsam Rock, Walpole Bay, Botany Bay, Joss Bay and Stone Bay.
Environment Agency pollution alerts were also issued several times for Viking Bay in July and August.
Storm overflow (combined sewer outfalls) releases occur due to the predominantly combined sewer system, where both wastewater and rain runoff enter the same network. During heavy downpours, rain overloads the system. To avoid homes, businesses, schools and roads flooding, excess water is released into the sea. Releases are around 95% rainwater but have not been fully screened.
Southern Water says: “In Kent, we have spent £276 million in four years on major waste and water improvement projects – including £30m on increasing stormwater storage at 16 sites to reduce our use of storm overflows during heavy rainfall- and have allocated a further £151 million of spending by this time next year.
“That would take overall spend in the county to £427 million in just five years. Meanwhile, across the region that five-year figure is likely to surpass £1.5 billion.”
Last month a £10.8 million project to renovate Margate Pumping Station was completed.
The works included an overhaul of screening equipment, boosts to electronic control systems, and the replacement of machinery reaching the end of life – including huge 40-year-old Archimedes Screw pumps.
