Despite Met Office predictions of record breaking heat this summer, three in four Brits will opt out of cooling off in British rivers and seas due to concerns over unprecedented levels of sewage dumping, according to a new YouGov Poll commissioned by the Central Office of Public Interest (COPI).
Following the news last month that raw sewage spills into England's rivers and seas doubled in 2023, a staggering 73 percent of respondents answered that they will either be 'not very likely' (22 percent) or 'not at all likely' (51 percent) to enter British waters in what experts believe will be the hottest British summer yet.
The new national poll of over 2000 adults reveals that more and more Brits would now rather suffer the heat than risk their own health, or the health of their children or pets in the sewage-ridden British waterways and coastlines.
This 'sewage anxiety' is shared not only by those planning UK holidays but also by a range of water sports enthusiasts, including wild swimmers and kayakers, as well as those attending leisure events.
British businesses across the country are being severely affected with some water sports companies regularly reporting days or even entire weekends of forced cancellations because of unsafe waters during or after pollution events.
Graeme Rolbiecki, from Kite Pirates Kite Surfing School in Ramsgate, Kent, said: “Sewage is hurting our business. We have a duty of care to our customers so on days we know they're dumping, we have to tell them. This often means entire days throughout the summer we can't operate, which in turn means lost revenue.”
Alex Melman, a kite surfer who was hospitalised with septicemia after a session in waters he subsequently found out were being pumped with sewage, commented: “Sadly, and I say this with deep regret as I'd love for my kids to be able to play freely in the sea whenever they want, it's just not worth it. I found out the hard way and spent four days in hospital. Until the sewage dumping stops, the seas just aren't safe.”
Humphrey Milles, Founder of COPI which is running the campaign calling for an end to sewage pollution, added: “It's a tragedy that an activity the whole country should be able to enjoy has become increasingly toxic because of ongoing failures of Government which is simply letting the water companies get away with it.”
The ramifications of the sewage pollution crisis are acutely felt during the summer months when people are drawn to bodies of water for recreational activities. Over 16 million UK residents engage in leisure activities in UK waters, including swimming, dog walking and children's play.
Coupled with unprecedented sewage levels, research suggests that rising temperatures will result in 'an elevated incidence of diarrheagenic E coli', meaning optimal conditions for the spread of waterborne diseases.
Prof Andrew C Singer, a senior pollution scientist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: “Our rivers are not suitable for bathing and recreation without the public accepting a real risk of exposure to sewage and the human pathogens (e.g., E coli) and antimicrobial resistance found within it."
Some 73 percent of those surveyed (an estimated 38 million adults in the UK) said they are not likely to consider swimming in the UK seas and rivers this summer considering the recent news headlines regarding sewage pollution.
The survey indicates that an estimated 4.9 million dog owners and 4.8 million parents are unlikely to consider swimming in UK seas and rivers this summer considering the recent news headlines regarding sewage pollution.
COPI is a non-profit creative industry alliance that runs the national public awareness campaigns the government should be running. This national YouGov Poll is part of COPI's national campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of this issue.
The organisation's billboards, posters and projections in a graphic 'faecal-font' crafted from real sewage have already appeared in towns and cities across the UK.
