Photo source: Surfers against sewage
Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage are celebrating after Keep Britain Tidy committed to installing warning systems informing the public after sewage discharges at blue flag beaches. This comes after sustained publicity in the National Press and BBC Panamora about the impact of Combined Sewer Overflows on bathing water quality and SAS planting brown flags on failing blue flag beaches.
The decision does clearly illustrate the power of publicity. When next year the public start seeing warning signs about sewage spills at some of Britain’s most popular and picturesque beaches its inevitable that there will be a further outcry.
Combined sewer overflows have long been a contentious issue and a legacy from our decaying and overloaded sewerage infrastructure. It is an issue on which the water companies cannot win. If nothing is done they will be castigated but tackling the issue will require further massive investment and lead to higher bills.
There has been million's spent on improvements but public concern has only increased. The publicity campaign that Thames Water are starting on the tideway tunnel may ironically only increase the pressure. There is no easy answer but putting off investment will only make matters worse. The Ofwat final determination does allow some expenditure but less than water companies had asked for and much less than will be required to tackle all the blue flag beaches. Its inevitable that the public pressure will eventually lead to increased investment it would be better to act now and put the industry in a better light.
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