SAS are concerned to learn that Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE) is considering rewriting the rulebook to relax regulations on sewage discharges from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). Our directors are writing to the director of FEE calling for Blue Flag beach users to be protected from raw sewage discharges and we need you to do the same. Scroll down to sign and send our letter.
We have learned that FEE is considering amending the criteria that beaches have to meet to achieve the coveted Blue Flag status including watering down criterion 28 relating to real-time public warnings when raw sewage is discharged from Combined... Read more
Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) warn the water industry there’s more to be concerned about than celebrate. Today Defra will release the 2010 bathing season results for the UK and both water companies and Government agencies will be quick to boast about an increase in beaches attaining the guideline standards. Whilst trying their hardest to divert attention away from 16 beaches failing the 34 year old, inadequate and outdated water quality standards and a reduction in beaches failing to attain the bare minimum mandatory standards.
SAS are urging the water industry not to believe their own press. Their achievements... Read more
Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are celebrating this bank holiday Monday as Keep Britain Tidy commit to warning systems informing the public after sewage discharges on Blue Flag beaches. This commitment is a direct response to SAS exposing over 25% of the UK’s Blue Flags as currently failing to meet the imperative Blue Flag regulations and failing to warn the public after sewage spills. SAS are confident that next year’s Blue Flag beaches will provide beach lovers with an enhanced beach experience.
On 06/08/10 SAS raised their own brown flags on Blue Flag beaches that they believe have Combined... Read more
Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are relieved to announce that the Ultra Violet (UV) treatment that renders sewage clean and safe has once again been turned back on at the popular Pease Bay, in time for the Scottish Bathing Season. SAS campaigners will be opening the beach with MSP John Lamont by cutting a giant ribbon.
Scottish Water turn off the UV treatment of the sewage discharged at Cove sewage treatment works sewage outside the bathing season. Turning off the UV treatment will result in an immense increase in the bacterial load of the sewage effluent discharged into the... Read more
Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are extremely disappointed with the Planning Inspector's weak ruling, requiring water companies to make only minor improvements to their 4,000 unregulated Combine Sewer Overflows (CSOs). These minor improvements fall far short of what is needed to protect and improve the environment and SAS feel this has been an opportunity lost.
SAS supported the Environment Agency's proposed conditions, which didn't require excessive investment. Yet incredible, after 20 years of leniency, rather than embrace the decision with good grace the water companies involved appealed against 94% of the discharge consents! The appeal was brought before the... Read more
SAS are pleased to hear the European Commission (EC) has decided to take the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over non-compliance with EU environment legislation. SAS has spent the summer highlighting the inadequacies of the UK's sewerage system, specifically with Combine Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drains (CSOs), culminating in the hard-hitting Panorama programme "Britain's Dirty Beaches". The EC is concerned that the urban waste water collecting systems and treatment facilities in London and Whitburn in North East England and have deemed them "inadequate and a threat to human health."
SAS have highlighted time and again concerns over the... Read more
SAS clean water campaigners were joined on Peacehaven Beach by Peacehaven Town Council officials yesterday to start Peaceavens bathing water designation process yesterday, 30th September, which marks the official end to the bathing season in England and Wales. SAS handed over a petition from water users supporting SASs Love Your Beach campaign, which hopes to see the recreational waters at Peacehaven receive full EU bathing water designation.
On Valentines Day this year SAS launched their Love Your Beach campaign, which enables recreational water users to apply for bathing water designation for their recreational water sites, providing them with extra protection and... Read more
Scottish SAS Representatives Warn Of Potential Increased Health Risks As Sewage Treatment Reduced At The East Coast's Premier Surf Spot
Surfers Against Sewage's (SAS) Scottish representative is joined on Pease Bay beach by locals surfers to warn waveriders of the potential increased health risk at Pease Bay as Scottish Water reduce the levels of sewage treatment from tomorrow.
4 weeks ago today SAS unveiled a straw poll to the local waveriding community in Pease Bay. In just 4 weeks over 200 people have committed to using the sea at Pease outside the bathing season and joined the SAS call for full year... Read more
SAS campaigners starred in this weeks shocking BBC 1 Panorama programme 'Britain's Dirty Beaches'. The programme showed the nation SAS's exclusive footage of raw sewage discharging into rivers and bathing waters. This is a scene that is replicated in rivers, seas and bathing waters all over the country after heavy rain.
It was the most watched Panorama programme of the year and really hit a nerve across the country. The response we have received since Panorama aired has been fantastic, a mixture of shock at the previously hidden primitive methods of regular sewage disposal and gratitude to SAS for helping Panorama... Read more
