Human sewage contains microorganisms including bacteria and viruses (also known as pathogens) that have previously grown inside another person or animal. This means that they are accustomed to the human body and can live there quite comfortably. The vast majority of these bugs cause no harm. However, some can cause serious infections and health issues. See more info on these below.
When surveyed, the majority (55%) of Brits who have tried wild swimming or sports in UK waters reported falling ill afterwards (on at least one occasion), with half admitting they’re scared to swim outside due to pollution. The presence of sewage might not stop the rest of us from hitting the surf regularly, but it’s important to understand the kinds of sickness that can be caused by entering polluted water. That way you can keep an eye out for symptoms and make educated decisions about treatment.
Sewage pollution can cause a whole range of illnesses. Check out our latest Water Quality Report to find out what people are reporting to us. And read on to learn more about the kinds of illnesses you should be aware of that can be caused by sewage pollution.
Please note, if you have an underlying health condition or are immunocompromised then it is recommended to avoid going in the water.
Cause: Swallowing water contaminated with bacteria or viruses can cause stomach gastroenteritis – a.k.a. stomach upsets. These unfriendly organisms – introduced to your insides via swallowed seawater – bed down and grow inside your digestive system, which causes the stomach and intestine to become inflamed.
Symptoms: Gastroenteritis typically results in vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea for around 12 to 72 hours. Viral infections usually resolve quicker than bacterial ones, which can last up to four weeks.
Treatment: The vast majority of people with gastroenteritis get better without treatment and don’t need to take medication. The symptoms cause you to lose a lot of fluid, so dehydration is a side effect to watch out for – sustained sipping is the order of the day! It’s generally uncommon for adults to need admission to hospital for intravenous fluid to replace the fluid they have lost when suffering from gastroenteritis.
When to be worried: If the diarrhoea persists for more than four days, or is severe or contains blood, tell your doctor or pharmacist or call 111. They may ask you to supply a sample or specimen of the poo. Make sure you Tell them you’ve been in water that might have been polluted. Similarly seek medical advice if a child keeps vomiting.
Causes: Cuts and grazes on our skin allow bacteria and viruses from sewage pollution to enter the body, which can then result in an infection.
Symptoms: A painful and itchy rash can develop, with the skin becoming hot and swollen. The wound may also start weeping pus (yuck), which is the product of your immune system’s attempt to destroy the multiplying bacteria.
Prevention: cover any cuts or grazes with a sticking plaster before entering the water.
Treatment: If left on its own and kept clean and dry, a minor skin infection should get better on its own in a few days. But some can progress and make you feel unwell or cause a fever. If it persists, seek medical advice from a doctor or pharmacist or call 111. Tell them you’ve been in water that might have been polluted.
Causes: The longer that water from the sea and rivers hangs about in your ear, the higher chance you have of developing an outer ear infection. This is why people who suffer from swimmer’s ear are prone to infection, because it slows down the ear’s ability to drain water. The more bacteria and viruses present in the water, the higher the chance of infection.
Read NHS guidance on ear infections here
Symptoms: Ear infections cause pain in the affected ear and can result in temporary hearing loss. If left untreated, the infection can become extremely uncomfortable and spread to the skin around the ear and on the face. This can make you feel extremely unwell and cause a fever.
Treatment: Don’t be tempted to unleash the cotton buds, as cleaning inside the ear can irritate the skin and increase the chance of infection. Hearing loss resolves once the infection clears. Seek medical attention if the pain is severe. Unfortunately, antibiotics don’t make much of a difference to a simple outer ear infection, but they can help prevent a persistent one from spreading to surrounding skin. Wearing earplugs designed for surfing greatly reduces the chances of initial infection.
Causes: Sewage water contains bacteria and viruses that are able to infect your eyelids. Adenoviruses in particular have a reputation for causing nasty eye infections.
Symptoms: The tissue surrounding the eye becomes red and swollen, causing conjunctivitis – which results in watery, weepy eyes. Eye infections are often very uncomfortable – it can sometimes feel like you have sand in the eye. Ouch.
Treatment: Eye infections are easy to treat with eye drops from a pharmacy, but if left untreated they can progress and become extremely unpleasant. If you have difficulty seeing or reading normally with the affected eye, or there is pain during eye movement, then you should seek urgent medical attention. Regular hand washing may help prevent the transfer of infection to others.
Causes: Viruses found in contaminated water can infect your upper airway. The common cold is an example of this.
Symptoms: A throat infection causes pain on swallowing. It is extremely common to suffer from symptoms of a common cold after surfing or swimming in sewage-contaminated water.
Treatment: The illness is usually mild and resolves after a few days. Paracetamol tablets may help relieve the discomfort.
Causes: If water is contaminated by sewage, pathogens can be inhaled and have the potential to infect the lungs and airway. Due to a lack of research it is not known how common a problem chest infections are for people who swim or surf in sewage-contaminated water.
Symptoms: Chest infections cause coughs and can result in difficulty in breathing. An infection can be extremely severe and can make you very unwell.
Treatment: If your symptoms continue to get worse, it’s best to seek medical advice to avoid the development of a serious medical condition.
Firstly, if you are worried about any of your symptoms please seek medical advice from a doctor or pharmacist, or call 111.
Secondly, report the incident to the environmental regulator so they can investigate any pollution instances. Find out how to report an incident here.
At SAS, we’re collecting sickness case studies to build up a bank of evidence that we can use to hold water companies and the Government to account. You can report yours directly through our website.
Download the free Safer Seas and Rivers Service app to get real time alerts for your favourite swim spots across the UK and view our live sewage map.
You can also use our Check Before You Go guide, which explains how to check water quality before visiting beaches, rivers and lakes – helping families, carers and schools make informed decisions and reduce the risk of illness from sewage pollution.
Stand up to the polluters and take action with SAS today
