Sick Surfer Delivered to Northumbrian Water

Campaigners from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) delivered a sick surfer in a hospital bed to Northumbrian Water last Friday calling on the water company to withdraw their applications to turn off UV sewage treatment outside the bathing season at 6 sewage works in the region.

Northumbrian Water has applied to the Environment Agency to turn-off the UV disinfection sewage treatment process outside the 'bathing season' at 6 sewage treatment works in the north east (Howdon, Hendon, Seaton Carew, Billingham, Bran Sands and Marske). SAS are objecting on the grounds that water quality will be reduced, therefore increasing the risk of contracting a sewage related illness in a region highly popular with recreational water users.

The plans currently lodged with the Environment Agency (EA) have caused SAS and the surf community huge concern, as many surf breaks would see a reduction in water quality if the UV disinfection process is turned off from September to May. Reducing the level of sewage treatment in this way WILL increase the risk of contracting a waterborne disease for recreational water users such as surfers.

The surfing community has already started to have their say on the proposal and over 1500 people signed the SAS petition that calls on the Environment Agency to refuse the applications and who's consultation finishes today.

If Northumbrian Water are successful, the affected stretch of coast would include a large number of popular surf breaks, from Hartley reef in the North to Saltburn in the South. The breaks are also home to a significant number of surf related business, university surf clubs, surf schools and also includes a national surf contest site.

Whilst SAS are hugely concerned about the world's energy consumption and its impact on climate change, turning off a vital sewage treatment process to conserve energy could have devastating effects on not just the marine environment but also the health of those using it for recreation. Such a move would be a significant step backwards in protecting our marine environment from pollution and SAS believe there are other energy saving steps the company should be making first and foremost.

For instance treating water to a potable level and supplying it to customers is also an energy intensive process. Treated water that escapes through leaks is a huge waste of energy. If Northumbrian Water fixed all of its leaks, it could reduce its CO2 emissions by up to an estimated 23,000 tonnes. That's a CO2 saving ten times greater than the CO2 emissions they'd save by turning off UV for the winter!

The water company could also be doing more to create its own renewable energy from the sewage treatment process. For example, Severn Trent Water should soon be producing approximately 50% of their sewage works energy requirements by using gas produced from the sewage treatment digestion process.

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: "We urge Northumbrian Water to withdraw their applications immediately in order to protect public health and the marine environment. Their proposals for turning off this vital sewage treatment process would be a huge backward step for water quality and in protecting the health of recreational water users. It's also a slap in the face for Northumbrian Water's customers, all of whom have paid for UV disinfection to be added to the treatment works through past water bills. There are straight forward steps that all water companies should be making first and foremost to becoming more energy efficient - turning off a vital sewage treatment process by flicking a switch is the easiest option and allows them to ignore their own failings on wasting energy through leakage and not generating enough renewable energy from the sewage treatment process".

Paul Wilkinson from O'Neill, current sponsors the British National Surf Championships at Tynemouth, says: "We have been disappointed to learn that Northumbrian Water have applied to the Environment Agency to turn off the UV light disinfection sewage treatment process from October to May. This is the very time that the region experiences the best surfing conditions and whilst special dispensation may be made for an event like ours, where the UV is turned back on to run a national contest, we do not feel that this would be fair to local surfers or those who will now have to train and prepare for an event like ours at surf breaks where water quality will be reduced".

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