Campaigners hold third protest over sewage releases along Kent coast

The third in a series of protests against Southern Water has been held in Kent.

Members of Save Our Seas Ramsgate held the demonstration on Saturday afternoon (30 October) against sewer releases and what they are calling 'pumping station failures'.

There have been a number of incidents which have led to swimming being banned off the Thanet coast.

In August 2021, Canterbury City Council put up warning signs between Tankerton and Herne Bay after a sewage spill.

Campaigners gathered at the Western Undercliff before marching through the harbour to the obelisk for music, poetry and the Big Draw Festival.

They were joined by other Save Our Seas groups from around Kent, musicians, poets and speakers, including Margate Councillor Rob Yates who has been investigating Southern Water practices, Ramsgate Mayor Raushan Ara, Green Councillor Tricia Austin, Julie Wassmer from SOS Whitstable, and Maxine Morgan who set up the Western Undercliff Regeneration Group.

SOS Ramsgate says it is calling on Southern Water to:

• provide full details on how and when they will invest in improving Thanet water and sewerage infrastructure and are pressing for a public meeting

• meet with a deputation from Thanet/Kent to discuss and address these urgent concerns

• pay for independent, regular water testing, which will be published

• provide SOS Ramsgate with three monthly updates across a range of metrics, so that progress can be monitored

Southern Water told ITV News Meridian that it is listening to what campaigners have to say and aims to reduce storm releases by 80% by 2030.

In a statement it said: "We are pleased that people are passionate about the environment and getting more involved with causes such as water quality – we urge them to continue to speak up and campaign to help make a difference and effect change.

"People across our region are making it clear the use of storm releases is no longer acceptable, which is why we are already acting now to cut pollution incidents by 80 per cent over the next four years and we believe we can achieve a similar reduction in storm releases by 2030. 

"Working with our regulators and partners, we are ready to design and deliver the necessary innovative solutions to achieve this by 2030. We want to reduce our use of storm releases because it is the right thing to do for our customers and the environment."

"The most efficient, cost effective and environmentally beneficial way of reducing storm releases and the carbon footprint they create is to separate surface water drainage from the sewer system. Reducing the amount of rainwater run-off from roads by around 40 per cent would mean an 80 per cent reduction in storm water releases. It will also continue to protect homes, businesses and other properties from flooding, which is vital role storm releases currently provide.

"We have welcomed the Government’s amendment to the Environment Bill, currently going through Parliament, to include a duty on water companies to deliver a reduction in discharges from storm overflows. This development is in line with our commitment to dramatically reduce pollution incidents and the use of storm overflows.

"We are spending £2 billion on our infrastructure and the environment, to serve our customers, the environment and boost local economies around our 700 miles of coastline.

"We know these demonstrations are in response to people’s increased awareness of the storm releases that happen in their area. This awareness is in part because of our industry-leading Beachbuoy Portal; another visible and public example of our commitment to tackle this problem. Beachbuoy provides near real-time information on releases of storm water and is part of our drive to be as transparent as possible.

"Storm releases during intense periods of rainfall are not raw sewage but usually more than 95% rainwater.

"They happen to protect customers’ homes, schools, hospitals and businesses from flooding. They are tightly regulated by the EA.

"We invite those involved with the protest to meet with us to hear about our work, our investment and our commitment to improve service to our customers and discuss ways to work together to achieve a goal we share, to protect the environment."