A recent survey reveals widespread public concern over the safety of swimming in UK waters, with over half of Britons fearing illness from sewage pollution. The findings come amid reports of more than half a million sewage discharges into seas, rivers, and lakes across the UK in 2024.
The poll, conducted by environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), surveyed 2,000 adults and found only 21 percent trusted the government to effectively regulate water companies and reduce sewage spills. This skepticism comes as sewage was discharged over 500,000 times throughout 2024, amounting to roughly 4.7 million hours of pollution.
Pembrokeshire resident Kate Jones, an avid swimmer and campaigner, has experienced illness multiple times after swimming in contaminated waters. “I’ve been caught out a couple of times,” Jones said. “After swallowing water near sewage overflows, I became unwell twice. My husband surfed recently following a sewage discharge and ended up off work for three days. I was also sick alongside my daughter.”
In Wales, water provider Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water reported 118,276 sewage discharges last year, averaging more than one spill every five minutes. Across England, 8,704 sewage discharges occurred during the official bathing season (May to September) in 2024, averaging more than 60 spills per day.
To raise awareness and demand government action, thousands are expected to participate in SAS’s annual Paddle Out protest on 17 May. The event encourages people to take to UK beaches and waterways to call for improved water quality and an end to the sewage crisis.
Stuart Davies, organiser of the Brighton Paddle Out, described the ongoing pollution as a “scandal” and emphasised its impact on community activities. “I volunteer for surf therapy projects that have been cancelled multiple times due to water contamination. It’s frustrating and unacceptable,” he said.
An SAS report disclosed 1,853 sickness incidents linked to polluted waters in 2024, with 331 people requiring medical attention. Of these, 79 percent were told by healthcare professionals that their illness was caused by sewage contamination. Reported symptoms ranged from gastroenteritis and chest infections to serious bacterial diseases, with some hospitalisations.
Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, criticised water companies and government oversight: “Despite promises of billions in investment, water companies have failed to meet pollution reduction targets, with incidents rising by 30 percent last year. The public’s health is being compromised, and urgent reform is needed.”
Bristow added that SAS’s free Safer Seas & Rivers Service app aims to provide real-time pollution alerts to help swimmers avoid contaminated waters.
Campaigners warn the true scale of pollution and related illnesses could be higher, as data from Wales and Scotland remains incomplete.