press release
    1st November 2004

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have renewed their calls for better public information about the health risks to bathing following the release of a report that investigated an Ecoli 0157 outbreak at Watergate Bay over the summer.

The report carried out by the Health Protection Agency, Central Primary Care Trust, Restormel Borough Council and the Environment Agency, investigated an Ecoli 0157 outbreak in 7 children, all of whom had been identified as playing in a stream that crosses the beach at Watergate Bay during August.

Though investigators found Ecoli 0157 bacteria in samples taken from a leaking pipe between a toilet block and the sewer, a toilet and kitchen waste pipe wrongly connected to surface water drains and in cattle dung, lying in fields adjacent to the stream, all were different to the strain of Ecoli 0157 that caused illness in the children.

Whilst SAS recognise the difficulty in pinpointing an exact cause of pollution, we are concerned that investigations like this could become increasingly more common at the regions beaches if standardised precautionary signage, that better informs beach goers of potential sources of pollution, is not utilised.

As part of its campaign to win new EU bathing water legislation, SAS have placed special importance on more real time information for beach users partly through clear and informative signage. For example SAS believe, permanent signs should be erected at beaches where Combined Sewage and Stormwater Overflows (CSO's) run into streams or direct onto beaches as they are particularly susceptible to overflowing during and after heavy periods of rainfall. This can make water quality poor and increases the risks of illness in water users. Beaches that are also affected by diffuse pollution from agriculture and which can make water quality temporarily poor should also benefit from improved signage.

It seems that Restormel Borough Council will now employ Public Health Warning signs at beaches where streams cross them for the 2005 bathing season, which is a commendable action. SAS however believes it is essential to have all local authorities with government designated or well used beaches to adopt a clear signage policy for next year in order to help protect all beach goers from any pollution incident.

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says:
"A precautionary approach should be employed by local authorities when it comes to providing information to the public about water quality. If people were to be made aware of times when bathing water could be of poor quality and pose risks to health than they are in a better position to make an informed decision for themselves about when and where they use the water for bathing or recreation. It would of course also lead to a significant reduction in the number of health incidents currently attributed to poor water quality and so use less of a doctor's much valued time".

For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 0845 4583001 or Mob: 07711 767548.

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