Protest against sewage discharges into the sea

Around 80 people attended a ‘Surfers Against Sewage’ protest on Appley Beach on Saturday.

The event was organised by volunteer Chani Kind, the regional representative of the group.

Guest speakers included Cllr Karl Love, on behalf of Michael Douse from Fight Against Environmental Contamination of Estuaries and Seafronts (FAECES), and Cllr Michael Lilley, who spoke about the Ryde Water Plan.

Chani said: “Our Island has 12 of the 83 worst beaches in the country for the total duration of combined sewage overflows in 2022.

“Southern Water got a one-star environment rating from the Environment Agency and their CEO, Lawrence Gosden, got £966,800 in bonuses in the last financial year.

“DEFRA’s target for 2025 to 2030 is to reduce overflows from 20 spills per CSO to 15 per year. Southern Water currently has a 17.8 average, so this really isn’t going to create the challenge needed.

“This is our Island, and it’s time we are not just led by others but become the leaders ourselves. Let’s show how amazing our Island and community are, and fight for our fantastic seas and rivers.”

A Southern Water spokesman said: “We are already working to reduce the number of storm overflows, investing significant money to build bigger infrastructure, and redesign a legacy Victorian sewer system, as well as using innovative technology and natural solutions. Since privatisation, the quality of our bathing waters has risen from only 28 per cent meeting public health standards, to 94 per cent rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

“We are investing the money where it’s needed, we have not paid external dividends to shareholders since 2017, and our Chief Executive, this week, confirmed he would not be taking a bonus in 2023.”