Join us for our National Day of Action

2024 is the year for change.

With a general election likely to happen, we have a real opportunity to build on the momentum and public outrage over sewage pollution and push for the people in power to hold water companies to account. 2024 is also the year that water companies are setting out their investment plans for the next five years (2025 – 2030) which means it is the perfect time to ramp up the pressure and to let regulators know know that more needs to be done.

Our ocean is under threat. Water companies are forcing our rivers and seas into a critical state by continuing to dump a toxic chemical cocktail of untreated sewage straight into waterways. And for far too long, regulators and Governments have let them get away with it. Not only are they destroying ecosystems, they are putting human health at risk. And we’re sick of it.

2024 is the year to turn our rage into change! It’s time to turn the tide on this sh*tshow.

As part of the day of action, we are writing to Ofwat, the environmental regulator in England and Wales to listen to the voice of thousands of people paddling out and ensure water companies are pushed to clean up their mess. We are also calling on the Governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland to reveal the truth around their water companies pollution.

Over the next month, Ofwat the financial regulators of the water industry are reviewing water companies business plans for the next five years. This includes reviewing whether the level of investment water companies are delivering to reduce sewage pollution into waterways is adequate.

As they review these plans, we are calling on them to:

• ensure water companies plans put an end to sewage pollution into popular bathing spots by 2030.
• prioritise a nature first approach to infrastructure to end sewage pollution, allowing water companies to use wetlands, and other improvements that use nature first, before carbon intensive concrete.
• Tighten regulation to ensure water companies only ever pay out bonuses and dividends when water companies are compliant with environmental legislation.

We REFUSE let polluters get away with us spending another summer swimming in sh*t. We DEMAND water companies take responsibility and clean up their act. And regulators and Government hold them to account. They must stop polluting and start investing in the much needed infrastructure for our future, for the sake of people and the planet.

We demand an END to sewage discharges in our bathing waters by 2030.

Whether you’re in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, join us in calling for better.