Swimmers at the popular Sandbanks beach in Poole, Dorset, have been forced to cancel their weekly meet due to sewage discharges into the sea. The East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club has attributed the pollution to Wessex Water, citing recent heavy rainfall as the cause.
"We've had to cancel our weekly East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club swim for the safety of our swimmers," said swimming instructor Elizabeth Mills. "We got an alert from the Surfers Against Sewage app that Wessex Water had dumped a load of sewage at our swimming spot at Shore Road."
Mills described seeing a "brown sludge in the sea" and observed one individual exiting the water after entering. "It is a beautiful Blue Flag beach and I think it is disgusting that the water companies are allowed to dump sewage into the sea and pollute it," she added.
Wessex Water confirmed that four sewage discharges occurred at Shore Road on Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson for the company stated that while licensed overflows typically discharge rainwater and groundwater, they are acknowledged as outdated. The company is investing over £8 million monthly in schemes aimed at reducing the frequency of these discharges in their region. They also noted ongoing investment in sewage treatment and infrastructure, including sewer relining work.
"We believe rainwater should be better managed and returned to the environment close to where it falls rather than draining into sewers," the Wessex Water spokesperson said. "Alongside our ongoing investment, this requires the political understanding and will to bring forward policies in government that promote best practice in rainwater management at source."
The Environment Agency indicated that it takes its role in improving water quality seriously and is holding water companies accountable by requiring improvements such as repairing sewage works and upgrading infrastructure.
This incident follows a separate event last month where two young girls were hospitalized with bacterial infections after swimming and paddleboarding in Christchurch Harbour. Keeva Hollow, eight, was diagnosed with campylobacter after swallowing water at Avon Beach. Her mother, Aisling McCarthy, reported that Keeva experienced a high temperature and diarrhea within 24 hours of swimming and lost significant weight during her recovery. "The hospital found campylobacter, which can be caused by water pollution or food contamination," McCarthy stated.
More than 500 people reportedly attended a meeting in Christchurch to address concerns with Wessex Water and the Environment Agency regarding the condition of local waterways.