Along Britain’s busiest beaches a pollution problem is growing. With COVID restrictions bringing more and more visitors to the South Coast, it is a ticking time bomb. What is causing it?
It is early in the morning and Maddy walks boldly up to the sea. Despite the bitter February wind and tumultuous waves, she is wearing only a pink swimsuit, a pair of sandals and a bobble hat. She stretches, takes off the sandals and bobble hat, stretches again and walks calmly into the 7 degree sea.
It would be surprising were it not for the gaggle of women 100 metres away that had just returned from a similar swim and a man preparing for one himself.
Brighton Beach is one of the busiest beaches in the UK. And it is easy to see why - it is hard to think of a British city more connected to nature. The South Downs National Park envelopes the town and every winter's evening starlings flock to the ruins of the West Pier where they swoop and bend in murmurations.
1000s of people use the sea to relax here - whether it is for swimming, stand up paddleboarding or surfing.
Given this popularity, one might expect that the seawater along this part of the coast is clean. However the truth is far from it.
You do not have to go deep into the community of surfers and swimmers that use the sea here before finding stories of water pollution - foul smelling water, visible releases from outlets - it is not rare to find people who have found themselves ill after being in the water.
The outlets that jut along the coast near the city are a clue as to the source of the problem. After heavy rain a number of these pipes serve as pressure release valves and spit dirty water into the sea. Some spill out road wash, whilst others are connected to the sewage system and emit human waste.
However, the local water board, Southern Water, will not give details as to what each outlet is used for. A campaign group has mapped the pipes and given educated guesses as to what each outlet is used for. At a meeting in February, they asked Southern Water to verify the various uses of their own pipes and outlets - however the process to find definitive answers is still ongoing.
This lack of transparency is in keeping with Southern Water over the past years. In 2019 the company was fined a record £126,000,000 for covering up sewage dumps in to the environment.
However, volunteer beach cleaners are increasingly finding sewage related debris on the beaches around Brighton and a number of outlets have been caught on camera leaching dirty water into the sea.
These are occurring without warning or notification and often puts sea users in danger.
Water boards are required by law to announce when they allow sewage and contaminated water to enter the sea. However, this only applies during Bathing season - May to September. Outside of that time, Southern Water only provides notice on a bug laden page of its website. Unlike most other water boards, this is not linked up nationally to any of the apps that aid sea users around the British Isles.
This lack of reporting has dangerous implications for people in and around Brighton. Maddy for example often hears about pollution incidents through social media - by which point she has invariably already been in the sea.
This has not abated during the winter when surfers use the seasonal swell at Shoreham and cold water swimmers use the water when it is calmer. It is not just exercise that attracts them - many of these swimmers and surfers talk about the positive effect on their mental health.
However, there is little that the sea users can do. And with no competitors in the region, Brighton’s sea users are forced to pay Southern Water for the privilege.
I’ve been swimming in the sea regularly since 1st January 2020. I had a stressful job at the time and swimming has really helped with my mental health, throughout lockdown. It’s appalling that Southern Water feel able to do this. The fines aren’t working… what is more annoying is that we can’t go elsewhere for our water - we have to be their customer.
Colette, Sea Swimmer
As the only country in the world with a fully privatised water and sewage system, England’s utility companies, motivated by profit, are unlikely to invest capital in the much needed modernisation that will solve the problem.
After decades of underfunding, bodies such as The Environment Agency and Ofwat are toothless when trying to persuade them to do so: Southern Water is evidently not responding to the fines that have been handed out to them, and still have subisidiaries registered off shore despite Ofwat urging them to close them.
I first saw someone swimming at this time of year after I had just had my first child. I was sleep deprived and I couldn't believe my eyes. I promised to myself that I would do it myself whenever I was strong enough - so here I am... It makes me feel superhuman, and gives me a great sense of connection with others.
Fran, sea swimmer
Over the years the sea around Brighton has seen many changes. If Southern Water can update its infrastructure, it will not just be for the benefit of the people that use it, but wildlife too. However, it will be, as Alvis - who comes to the beach with his young family - says “Only a drop in the ocean.” But one that is urgently needed all the same.
All photographs by Tolly Robinson:
CAPTIONS
(in order of appearance)
- COVER IMAGE - Sea foam lies on the beach at Peacehaven, February 2021
- Maddy prepares for a swim, Hove Beach, February 2021
- Danni, sea swimmer, Hove Beach, March 2021
- Jackson, paddleboarder and swimmer, Hove Beach, March 2021
- A suspected Surface Water outlet, Hove Beach, March 2021
- A suspected Combined Sewage Overflow, Brighton Beach, March 2021
- A suspected Combined Sewage Overflow, Hove Beach, March 2021
- Sea foam washed up on Peacehaven beach. In the distance, a marker for a water pipe can be seen, February 2021
- Maddy, sea swimmer, Hove Beach, March 2021
- A paddleboarder off Brighton Beach, March 2021
- Sea swimmers in the water at Saltdean, February 2021
- Maddy and Fran swimming off of Hove Beach, February 2021
- Julie, sea swimmer, Saltdean Beach March 2021
- Colette, sea swimmer, Hove Beach, March 2021
- A Southern Water facility at the foot of the water pipe at Peacehaven, February 2021
- A gate into a Southern Water facility at the foot of Peacehaven cliffs, February, 2021
- Part of the Southern Water installation at Peacehaven
- Fran, sea swimmer, Hove Beach, March 2021
- Fran retrieves Maddy's sandals for the walk from the sea, Hove, March 2021
- Alvis, paddleboarder and swimmer, Hove, March 2021
- Alvis paddleboards off the beach at Hove, March 2021
Credits:
Tolly Robinson