A sign on the 130-year-old pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea warns people not to jump off it. On a big surf day surfers make their way to the end of the sturdy 206 metre structure and jump like lemmings into the cold, murky North Sea. Words: Simon Palmer Photos: Ian Forsyth

James Bowden recently explored the farthest shores of the British Isles, taking nothing more than his van, good friends and good expectations. He recounts his journey through the lens...

Mat Arney hooks up with some old friends to go feral on the Arabian Peninsula and hunt down some truly isolated swell. Words & photos: Mat Arney

Al Knost is one of the best sliders around and has a close connection with a scene far removed from the modern marketplace hustle. Ryan Tatar tracked him down with his project partner Tyler Manson and gave us an insight into their freshest work. Words: Ryan Tatar Photos: Jamie Bott & Tyler Manson

Drift caught up with big-wave surfer Carlos Burle on home territory in Brazil to find out why he considers big-wave riding to be a playground for the few who have earned the privilege. Photos: Al McKinnon

This isn't a shameless plug. This is an encounter with a British company doing something special with surfboards. While the industry is focused on the multi-buck movers and shakers parading their eco-wares, let's not forget our homegrown talent. Words: Howard Swanwick Photos: John Morgan and Jamie Bott

SAS in Panorama sewage expose

September 07, 2009 | Words By: Howard

sas_panoramaClean water campaigners from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are urging all water users to watch Panorama this Monday, 7 September, BBC1 at 8.30pm.

SAS have helped the Panorama team expose the shocking truth that after heavy rain, raw sewage is consistently discharging into our rivers, seas and bathing waters without warning to the public and water users.

SAS campaign manager Andy Cummins features heavily in the programme and captures the most outrageous footage of a Combined Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drain (CSO) discharging raw sewage into a river. This is the first time this disgusting practice has been highlighted, and was a scene that Andy Cummins captured repeatedly throughout summer 2009.

This summer especially, SAS has received a disturbing amount of medical complaints from water users all over the UK and this programme will help SAS ensure that water users are aware that after periods of heavy rain, water quality can be dramatically reduced.

The Panorama team commissioned their own tests – carried out by Plymouth Marine Laboratory – at bathing waters impacted by these CSOs and discovered traces of the potentially deadly strains of Ecoli 0157:H7 amongst other worrying pathogens. SAS are extremely concerned that these scandalous results were found at beaches that were achieving an excellent water quality result from the Environment Agency’s testing.

The Panorama team put these alarming findings to water companies and the Environment Agency and helped SAS exposes the shortcomings in our sewerage system. It makes for compelling viewing for everyone, but compulsive viewing for anyone who uses the UK’s rivers and seas.

Surfers Against Sewage Campaign Manager Andy Cummins says: “These disgusting discharges of raw sewage are a major health risk to water users and Panorama has done a great job in helping SAS get the message out that after periods of heavy rain water quality can be dramatically reduced. Now this information is out there, water users can make an informed decision before exposing themselves to potentially bacteria and viruses.”

   

Comment

←
→

Advertise here