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The recent out of season bathing water survey carried out by Northumbrian Water is riddled with errors and shows a very poor grasp of even the most basic mathematics, according to the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

Analysis of the raw data used by Northumbrian Water reveals an unacceptably high number of errors including several instances of water users being removed from data tables. Other basic maths 'mistakes' result in situations like that at Saltburn on the 18th of December when the survey count was almost halved from 21 to 12.

While one or two mistakes are understandable, SAS highlight that the number of errors revealed is very high and every single one leads to a reduction in the estimation of water use. SAS are also concerned that many more errors may go undetected. On top of these errors, the survey methodology unjustifiably ignores any users getting in or out of the water, or using water outside of the official designated areas.

As well as Northumbrian Water showing that they lack attention to detail, the conclusions drawn from the survey also suggests they lack basic numeracy skills.

Their conclusion that none of the Bathing Waters have use exceeding an average of 10 users per week is actually based on the average number of water users they recorded in the water at any one time.

For instance, according to the data collected by Northumbrian Water, Tynemouth has an average of 4.8 surfers in the water at any one time during the survey period. According to their report, Northumbrian Water have incorrectly concluded that this means Tynemouth is used by less than 10 surfers per week.

If you assume each surfer stays in for 1 hour and that 8 hours a day are available for surfing, calculations suggests that an average of around 38 surfers at Tynemouth each day. These calculations, while no more than rough estimates made with poor data, highlight the huge errors Northumbrian Water have made in their conclusions.

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: "It's a bit like quickly looking out your window, seeing three cars pass, ignoring one, miss-counting another and then concluding that the road has an average of one car using it per week. Northumbrian Water's conclusion that their survey shows that no water has an average use exceeding 10 per week is absolutely ridiculous and is based on poor understanding of what the data they have collected actually represents. This is even before you consider the inaccuracies brought about by all the errors Northumbrian Water have made".

"The fact remains that the waters in question are very popular with recreational users outside of the bathing season, often with over 50 surfers in the water at any one time when conditions are right. Its high time Northumbrian Water acknowledged this fact and stopped wasting everyone's time with poorly constructed arguments backed up with inaccurate and error-ridden reports. ".

To help put them straight SAS have reserved a place for the Managing Director at Northumbrian Water on a part-time Maths Workshop Numberskills Certificate course at Hartlepool College of Further Education starting tonight at 6pm. We hope he'll be able to get along!

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