The surfers, in wetsuits and carrying surfboards emblazoned with illuminous “UV” letters will be handing out cards reminding the delegates of their obligations to protect water users all year round. The conference is at The Royal Armouries in Leeds.

PHOTOCALL: 8.30am on the 27th of September outside the Royal Armouries Museum, Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT. A group of 20 SAS supporters dressed in wetsuits carrying surfboards emblazoned with an illuminous message for UV sewage treatment will greet waste water delegates from all over Europe, handing out their message for the need for year round sewage treatment at popular water sports beaches.

After a successful campaign against Northumbrian Water in 2008 SAS have helped set a precedent. Where there is a presence of water users, year round UV disinfection is needed. The months outside the bathing season are the best months for surfing around the UK. Hundreds of thousands of surfers around the UK will plunge into the cold, quality waves throughout the depths of winter. Improvements in wetsuit technology means that even in January waveriders can enjoy their sport for several hours at a time. Ingestion and immersion is a part of the water sports experience and results in surfers being 3 times more likely to be infected from polluted waters.

However, SAS are extremely concerned that Anglian Water turn off their UV sewage treatment outside the bathing season, from the 1st of October until the 15th of May. And Scottish Water does the same from the 15th of September until the 1st of June at Pease Bay.

In the last month SAS has received hundreds of emails calling for year round UV sewage treatment from surfers and waveriders committing to using the sea at Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Pease Bay outside the bathing season. SAS will be passing these concerns onto the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to remind these bodies of their responsibility. Today gives SAS the opportunity to rigorously remind the water industry face to face that when looking to save energy it cannot come at the cost of increased risk to the health of water users. There are many ways for the water industry to reduce it’s carbon footprint. Harnessing their waste material to produce renewable energy, to transport and operational energy audits to adoption of new efficient technologies. All these options and more need to be exhausted before even considering reducing sewage treatment, which is a massive backwards step for the water environment.

SAS Campaign Director, Andy Cummins says: “SAS support the water industry in their efforts to reduce their environmental impact, but that must not come at the cost of water users health. Where surfers and waveriders use the sea all year round it’s utterly vital that water companies treat sewage to the highest level.”

Anglian Water turns off their UV treatment outside the bathing season (1st of October until the 15th of May). Unfortunately for surfers this is the best season for surf. Turning off the UV results in a dramatic increase in the potentially harmful pathogens released to the sea. Pathogens that can result in Hepatitis A, Ecoli 0157H, Gastro Enteritis and much, much more.

SAS are concerned not just about the impacts on the marine environment but also about the potential health impacts on the local water sports community that use these beaches all year round. Research has shown that surfers are 3 times more likely to contract Hepatitis A than bathers as we immerse and ingest more than the average bather. This research is been backed up with anecdotal evidence from the local water sports community.

Turning off the UV is 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.

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

SAS recently fought a successful campaign against turning off UV sewage treatment at popular beaches in North East in 2008. The Environment Agency determined that before any water company reduces their levels of sewage treatment by turning off the UV treatment, they must first prove the absence of water users and prove it doesn’t impact on water quality. SAS believe this sets a strong precedent and one that should be followed throughout England and Wales.

SAS are calling on the Environment Agency to ensure that Anglian Water fully treat their sewage and properly protect water users all year round. And from the 1st of October onwards we are calling on the Environment Agency to undertake a comprehensive study into the presence of water users at Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes.

Matt Strathern at Extreme Horizon Surf Shop says: “There’s a strong and increasing water sports community that want to use the sea all year round. I’m hearing from many locals who are complaining about ear, nose and throat infections and because of the reduced treatment people are less keen to go in knowing what could be out there.”

Surfers Against Sewage Campaign Director says: “Surfers and waveriders in Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes deserve the same levels of protection offered elsewhere around the country. Because surfers are immersing and ingesting in the water, especially in winter, we are more at risk from harmful pathogens like hepatitis A and Ecoli and need year round protection.”