news release
    9th December 2003

New report from SAS exposes the delays between poor water quality at the beaches and the public knowing.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) will be embarking on a tour of local district council offices tomorrow armed with a new report that provides real time solutions to protect the public's health when a bathing water is polluted.

The report follows a number of pollution incidents at bathing waters across Cornwall and Devon last summer when the public remained 'in the dark' when a bathing water had poor water quality because the current warning systems are slow and laborious. Local authorities report time delays of up to 2 weeks before they get information on water quality sampling from the Environment Agency, which does not help inform the public quickly enough.

SAS research this autumn found that Penwith, Kerrier, Restormal, North Cornwall, Caradon,Torbay, South Hams and Instow District Councils were unable to provide real time public information last summer when sampled water quality 'failed' to meet the EU mandatory standards at designated bathing waters. In addition Carrick District Council face ongoing difficulties over signage at St Agnes when a storm overflow spills untreated sewage affecting Trevaunance Cove. A total of 30 local authority nation-wide were not able to take immediate action to inform bathers following a failed sample in the summer of 2003.

PHOTOCALL: On Tuesday 9th December surfers will deliver giant 'highway code style' signs and copies of the report to the Environmental Health heads of each local authority. The 'Stop' and 'Caution' signs will carry 'Raw Sewage' and 'Pollution Incident' wording.

9:00am - Penwith District Council, St Clare, Penzance
10:30am - Kerrier District Council, Dolcoath Av, Camborne
12noon - Carrick District Council, Pydar St, Truro
1:30pm - Restormal Borough Council, 39 Penwinnick Rd, St Austell
3:30pm - N.Cornwall District Council, Higher Trenant Rd, Wadebridge

The new report entitled 'There's No Such Thing As Too Much Information' provides the local authorities with a platform to bring in better public information systems at the regions beaches next summer. The emphasis of the report is to provide the bather with easy to understand and easy to spot water quality information so the public can make informed decisions about whether or not they go in the water.

The report could help local authorities develop a region wide strategy to implement for next summer. Through the report SAS are advocating that permanent signage should be displayed at beaches displaying the location of all sewage outfalls and Environment Agency sampling points. It is also essential for all sewage discharge points, particularly those accessible to the general public to be marked by a permanent sign. Temporary signage should also be used at all designated and popular recreational waters as a further information tool following the reporting of a failed sample. The signs could be removed once water samples indicate that quality is once again above the legal minimum.

Richard Hardy, SAS campaigner says: "There really is no such thing as too much information when it comes to protecting public health. Signage on beaches should become as well integrated and accepted as the warning signs we see around us on a daily basis. The current laws make public information on beaches an after thought. We know local authorities face challenging bureaucracy with the current system but hope this report will help them form a strategy which could be implemented for the 2004 bathing season'.

For further information please contact Richard or Andy on Tel: 01872 553001 or mobile 07711 767548.

Notes for editors: Water quality failures last summer where no immediate action was taken were:

Caradon Seaton (Cornwall), East Looe 02/05/03, 02/05/03 and 29/07/03
Restormal Par, Fistral, Porth and Mawgan porth 02/05/03, 06/07/03, 25/07/03, 25/07/03
Kerrier Porthleven West 23/07/03
Penwith The Towans (Hayle), The Towans (Godrevy)
25/07/03
N.Cornwall Porthcothan, Treyarnon Bay, Constantine and Trevone Bay 25/07/03, 25/07/03, 07/08/03, 25/07/03
N.Devon Instow, 26/07/03
Torbay B.C Paignton Preston Sands 23/07/03
S.Hams D.C Hope Cove 12/06/03

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