Hundreds of surfers storm Brighton beach to protest sewage | England’s water companies exposed

Water companies are discharging raw sewage into our waters at record rates. In 2023, water companies dumped sewage into UK’s rivers and seas for a total of 3.6m hours. That’s 410 years.
It’s a national scandal and the private water companies are pocketing a billion pounds in profits each year with little consequences.
And people are furious.
That’s why at waterways all over the country, surfers, kayakers and other water enjoyers have turned out to protest, as part of Surfers Against Sewage's Paddle-Out Protest.
Ed Campbell went to Brighton beach to meet them.
Reporter: Ed Campbell
Camera: Harry Ainsworth
Producer: Laura Beveridge
Subscribe to our new podcast now, or you're a silly goose:
linktr.ee/pubcast

[@xotster]

I'm sorry to say, protesting at an empty beach does not seem as effective as protesting outside of the offices. I would love to see the grimace on the faces of actual people responsible as they have to walk by excrement posters on their way to work.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

As long as they still get the bonus, I'm pretty sure they won't give a shit. This is the problem. So many high level managers not giving a shit and only in it for themselves and treat staff below them like dirt.

[@rubennicholls4801]

@@TheStevenWhiting Well either way there gonna be giving a shit to the oceans, rivers and lakes

[@blaircorral8158]

Maggie Thatcher sold English water! Scotland’s water is still owned by the public, and has served the public very well.

[@Mark-Haddow]

Scotland's water was better quality long before England's privatisation.

[@twolessba1087]

water in scotland is like drinking mana streight from the earth, even norway and denmark's water isnt as good as scotland's

[@Pikestnt]

Just to qualify that: When she sold the water companies, she also wrote off their £5bn debt burden and gave the new owners £1.5bn to sweeten the deal. £6.5bn is about £30bn in todays money Since then, the efficiently run private water companies have racked up £60bn in debt but we now have 💩 in our rivers Like most privatisations, not a great deal for the taxpayer. A terrific deal for the investors though.

[@Ollay245]

wasn't* the only thing the witch sold

[@ScottishRoss27]

@@Pikestnt Publicly owned Scottish Water Assets are worth more than what England's government privatised England's water industry for

[@loulou8456]

Follow the money. It always leads to the guilty actions and parties involved. This is a crime against our environment, which we all share and should be looking after. These people should be in jail for corporate vandalism. Including the government.

[@purrple.shadows]

Britain is ruled by money worshipers just like across the pond.

[@neilpike6758]

We did vote for this in our democracy, profit for the owners comes first in UK.

[@simon-1290]

Tampons, sanitary towels, condoms and wet wipes etc shouldn't even be in the sewers! 🤢🤦

[@stephanguitar9778]

Always have been. I worked at a sewerage treatment plant for a week 40 years ago and mincing machine was Always jammed with all sorts of foul things, worst was cloth nappies

[@tommann9490]

These products cost millions to water companies clearly blockages and replacing destroyed assets. In the industry it's referred to a RAG. This is partly why bills will go up.

[@The_Reality_Filter]

I live in North Devon and the weekend "surfers" from London leave sh!t all over the place...

[@TravelSick]

Exactly!

[@1gpman]

Glad someone said it.

[@eddjordan2399]

why the hell the police dont just arrest the head of the water companys and make them stop dumping in beyond me? if i was caught dumping chemical and sewage into a river id go to jail. these guys are doing it with impunity and getting paid millons. this world is f,ed up.

[@ScottishRoss27]

Foreign owned outwith England

[@audioaddict5279]

The Tories made it legal, they are not breaking any laws, that is the point of the protest.

[@Jokerjaxs]

Government owns the police . Elites own the governments . They don’t give a shit about.

[@ScottishRoss27]

@@audioaddict5279 The Tories privatisation of England's water industry left England be gangbanged by shareholders in the likes of China, Kuwait, UAE, Malaysia, Australia, USA, Canada, Germany, Norway, even Scotland is in on it

[@lw1zfog]

Freemasonry

[@vivalaleta]

Nasty. Clean up the water by giving it back to the country. It shouldn't be privatized.

[@theghostoftom]

What gets me is the number of people who outright don't know how bad our waterways are. There is a huge portion of the UK that just wander through life without a clue about any scandals or grifts. Happy little souls who have no idea why anyone wouldn't like that nice little man trying his best.

[@ScottishRoss27]

*England's water

[@paulgibbons2320]

​@@ScottishRoss27shallow boast. Yorkshire has the same population as Scotland. And your rain fall is ridiculous.

[@Mark-Haddow]

​@@paulgibbons2320 In what reality does Yorkshire have to maintain the same level of water resources (River, lake/loch, Beach) as Scotland? Likewise, when was Yorkshire's water judged to be of the same quality as Scotland's. *Is it possible you're confused what this video was about?*

[@ScottishRoss27]

@@paulgibbons2320 Yorkshire's EU Referendum Result, Weak Economy, Vulnerable to being Bullied, Capitalised on or to Takeovers. Scotsman Adam Smith is considered the father of modern capitalism. Sphere of Influence is having economic exclusivity in other Regions/Nations. Agricultural Land in hectares Scotland 5,3 million Yorkshire 1,1 million Eastern Sub-Sea Electricity link will see Scotland take over supply to Yorkshire. Glasgow based Scottish Power took over Yorkshire Energy in 2020. Yorkshire bank is owned by Glasgow based Clydesdale bank. Middlesbrough Teeside shipyard closed last month, Port Glasgow Shipyard was saved by Scottish Government in 2019. Doncaster Airport was left to close in 2022. Sheffield City Airport was left to close in 2008. Publicly Owned Prestwick Airport recently reported its 4th consecutive year of profit for the public purse. Publicly Owned Inverness Airport recently awarded Best Airport in Europe in under 2 million passengers category. Aberdeen based FirstGroup Transport took over York Pullman Bus Company in January 2024 Hull Trains in 2014. Perth based Stagecoach Group runs the bus network in Yorkshire. Bradford's Marshall Bakers collapsed in 2023 Hull's Conquest of Bread Bakery collapsed in 2023 Glasgow's Morton Rolls collapsed in 2023 and brought back into business by SNP Government. Redcar Steel works was eft to close in 2015, Motherwell & Cambuslang steel works were saved by SNP Government in 2016. Cumbernauld based Irn Bru recently took over Leeds based Boost Drinks. Perthshire based Taylor's Snacks recently took over South Yorkshire Foods, reportedly the largest Independent popcorn producer in the UK. Edinburgh based Investment Firm Inverleith Investments recently acquired majority stake in a Yorkshire Online Butchery Specialist Scots Border Timber firm BSW Group recently took over Bradford Based Power Sheds. Aberdeenshire manufacturer Nu-Style Products recently took over an industrial site in Yorkshire for distribution of its laminated, roofing & steel products. Edinburgh based Law firm Gilson Grey recently took over Property law firm in York. Glasgow based tech firm Iomart recently took over Leeds based data management specialist Oriium and Sheffield based Pavilion IT. Glasgow based Intellectual Property firm Murgitroyd recently took over Leeds based TLIP.

[@ScottishRoss27]

Yorkshire's EU Referendum Result, Weak Economy, Vulnerable to being Bullied, Capitalised on or to Takeovers. Scotsman Adam Smith is considered the father of modern capitalism. Sphere of Influence is having economic exclusivity in other Regions/Nations. Agricultural Land in hectares Scotland 5,3 million Yorkshire 1,1 million Eastern Sub-Sea Electricity link will see Scotland take over supply to Yorkshire. Glasgow based Scottish Power took over Yorkshire Energy in 2020. Yorkshire bank is owned by Glasgow based Clydesdale bank. Middlesbrough Teeside shipyard closed last month, Port Glasgow Shipyard was saved by Scottish Government in 2019. Doncaster Airport was left to close in 2022. Sheffield City Airport was left to close in 2008. Publicly Owned Prestwick Airport recently reported its 4th consecutive year of profit for the public purse. Publicly Owned Inverness Airport recently awarded Best Airport in Europe in under 2 million passengers category. Aberdeen based FirstGroup Transport took over York Pullman Bus Company in January 2024 Hull Trains in 2014. Perth based Stagecoach Group runs the bus network in Yorkshire. Bradford's Marshall Bakers collapsed in 2023 Hull's Conquest of Bread Bakery collapsed in 2023 Glasgow's Morton Rolls collapsed in 2023 and brought back into business by SNP Government. Redcar Steel works was eft to close in 2015, Motherwell & Cambuslang steel works were saved by SNP Government in 2016. Cumbernauld based Irn Bru recently took over Leeds based Boost Drinks. Perthshire based Taylor's Snacks recently took over South Yorkshire Foods, reportedly the largest Independent popcorn producer in the UK. Edinburgh based Investment Firm Inverleith Investments recently acquired majority stake in a Yorkshire Online Butchery Specialist Scots Border Timber firm BSW Group recently took over Bradford Based Power Sheds. Aberdeenshire manufacturer Nu-Style Products recently took over an industrial site in Yorkshire for distribution of its laminated, roofing & steel products. Edinburgh based Law firm Gilson Grey recently took over Property law firm in York. Glasgow based tech firm Iomart recently took over Leeds based data management specialist Oriium and Sheffield based Pavilion IT. Glasgow based Intellectual Property firm Murgitroyd recently took over Leeds based TLIP.

[@izzytrue8630]

Gross ... not even our tap water is SAFE!!!

[@ScottishRoss27]

*England's

[@stephenthomas3085]

This is the 'boiling frog' syndrome writ large. It is very dangerous because people quickly forget just how abnormal this is, that profoundly unacceptable situations just get normalised and younger people begin to believe that it was always like this. It wasn't. We had drinking water that was perfectly safe not that long ago. The same way that the NHS worked pretty well, that you post a first class letter and it was guaranteed to get to its destination the next day, that rented housing was affordable and that work actually paid and on and on.

[@richardjames3022]

Nationalise ALL utilities and fine the CEO's. NEVER vote Tory

[@mikusb9011]

Don't worry 50+ olds will carry on voting Tory, unfortunately

[@lottytaylor572]

@@mikusb9011im so glad you speak for all over 50s … 🙄

[@tariqjoseph3562]

@@lottytaylor572he seems to speak for enough though judging from the past 15 years and that’s the problem isn’t it.

[@GKMusik1]

Or Labour, they are set on 'rubbing noses in diversity'

[@garriejackson9551]

​@@mikusb9011I'm in my 60s and never have or never would vote Tory your prerogative about age is bullshit

[@Ab.Stat.]

my nephew got sick 2 weeks ago after swimming round here. i cannot take my nephew swimming down our local beach because the privatised water company would rather pay dividends and bonuses to shareholders and execs instead of investing in infrastructure. im mad about it. ed is divine in that wet suit

[@neilpike6758]

we should never have sold off the public utilities to private individuals to make big profits from, but this is British democracy.

[@stephenthomas3085]

@@neilpike6758 Absolutely. The only way to profit from essential former public services is by either cutting services, cutting service quality, reducing staff or cutting investment (or, all of them). Add to the mix purchases of water companies by vastly overleveraged private equity entities leading to Thames Water style disasters. Regulators are spineless because they were deliberately MADE spineless in the beginning to ensure that profit would not be impacted. Then there is the matter of choice and the inability to take custom elsewhere and all the massive disadvantages of a private monopoly designed for profit without responsibility. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a system less propitious to quality of life, ecology and customer service. Designed for profit and extraction of money and giving NOTHING back whatsoever, the very worst of all worlds. Thanks a bunch Thatcher.

[@MargaritaMagdalena]

U gay?

[@Ab.Stat.]

@@MargaritaMagdalena for ed

[@goafy]

This is great. They should also name the ceo"s of these water companies....all these bosses are anonymous, hiding behind their companies

[@ScottishRoss27]

Go to Australia and protest as Southern Water's largest shareholder is an Australian asset management firm

[@EarthHart1]

The water industry has to be Nationalised to get anywhere being helpful to it's customers.

[@sayitlikeitis8759]

AND ENERGY COMPANIES

[@paulbo9033]

The first lady is going to be my next Halloween costume. People: "brah why you wearing bloodied tampons on your face? wtf are you supposed to be" Me: "UK waters" 🗿

[@bookllama8158]

Actually scary 😧

[@The_Reality_Filter]

I live in North Devon and the weekend "surfers" from London leave sh!t all over the place...

[@LittleCarol]

That is not a tampon! Tampons go inside your body. She was wearing a sanitary towel which is outside your body worn inside your knickers. (Thank goodness you are a real man and not one of those weird ones). x

[@VeritySnatch]

this is what England voted for

[@emilymcintosh6953]

The fact that water companies dump sewage into our seas and rivers is disgusting - they shouldn't just get a fine they should get severely punished and there should be a lawsuit or the government should intervene - people have had enough. We are an island nation and our seas and rivers are special - we are trying to revive wildlife - with the reintroduction of beavers for instance - and this dumping of sewage in our waterways whether in the seas or rivers needs to stop!

[@anglo-saxon9182]

It's that bad there's signs saying do not enter the water where I live g

[@paulbiggs5523]

Soaring water bills, record bonuses for water company bosses and now the truth is out. Why was this allowed to happen, why have the government not acted? Absolutely disgusting.

[@tomjoyce6365]

Because the water companies are privately owned.

[@OpenlyBritish]

@@tomjoyce6365 ...and? All haulage companies are under strict pollution and what not regulations. So why aren't water companies supervised by gov institutions? Who's been bribed? Where are all the environmentalists?

[@fetB]

@@tomjoyce6365 private ownership doesnt trump power of gov. It is the very idea of a gov to regulate and hold bad actors accountable. Recycling waste water isnt that complicated and if they cannot make it profitable, it speaks to their incompetence and they should get a job at the supermarket

[@keithhigh7773]

Sorry, guys. The bigger story would be to find a river, lake or sea that DID NOT have human waste floating in it. All of the water companies were privatised FREE OF DEBT. They are now stuffed full of it yet the service just gets worse. The water companies are monopolies in their areas yet their CEOs (the odd woman) get paid eye-watering amounts of money.WHY, they are not taking a risk investing their own money. And, a 10 year old with an annual salary of a Twix bar and a cupcake, could probably do a very similar job. The companies should, like all utilities, be taken back into public ownership without compensation and all the debt left with the shareholders. Even Karl Marx recognised that capitalism had a place in society but he was adamant that utilities should remain in public ownership.

[@ScottishRoss27]

Like Scottish Water?

[@stephanguitar9778]

We used to have one civil servant running the lot.

[@stefrost4029]

They literally said this is an issue all across the country and affects rivers and seas alike.

[@marym7547]

"the odd woman" what sort of remark is that? Women have fought for justice through history and yet slandered everywhere.

[@keithhigh7773]

@@marym7547 sorry you are upset. I was trying to indicate that it is an industry that is not exclusively male. Given that so many sewage co CEOs are taking the p**s, it must be something in the water. My record for bringing women out of their shells and showing them that they can compete and do the unimaginable speaks for itself. Did Paula Venells get pilloried for failing at Pist Office because she was a women? I think not, but we will never know.

[@gordonmculloch4904]

It should be a criminal offense, with the companies, as well as the directors, facing huge fines. After all, look at the fines and possible prison sentences people face for illegal dumping.

[@lewisjones4158]

It's always been a hard life, but at least we had our beaches and our waters. Now we don't even have that anymore

[@ScottishRoss27]

Australian company and shareholders says thanks for the profits England mate

[@jenniferindigochameleon6680]

Always, yet you’ve done nothing to change it. Just sit there to nothing and moan in acceptance.

[@aredub1847]

no one has covered the third issue here. who did they borrow money from? themselves. they own the banks they borrowed from. the uk got it in all 3 holes.

[@ScottishRoss27]

*England

[@hmq9052]

"It's bloody awful. Anyway I'm off for a dip"

[@keithhigh7773]

Don't forget your nose peg. If you swallow any water go straight to A&E.

[@dub604]

The turds on the benches gave us turds on the beaches.

[@Thelma7361]

Nothing short of renationalising water companies is acceptable.

[@tomjoyce6365]

You say this because you don’t understand the issue. This isn’t a political issue.

[@hazyhayley7488]

Protesting the sewage in the water by… swimming in said water?

[@TheUgo100]

THIS IS NOT A UK ISSUE THIS IS ENGLAND WATER, I'VE NEVER BEEN SO PROUD TO BE ENGLISH 😅🤣😂

[@jonjones6583]

Rule Britannia Britannia rules, the waves we are the biggest colonisers in the world. What we do what we say is always right. Everyone follows us

[@jenniferindigochameleon6680]

Blue passports!!!

[@christophermichaelclarence6003]

Come to North France, in Nord Pas de Calais or Normandy

[@user-nx8ii4ef7f]

Excess flood water is one thing, but not even screening the waste is beyond criminal! Grate Britain!

[@tomjoyce6365]

All waste is supposed to be screened but the screens block after excessive amounts of jam rags. Women have a lot to answer for.

[@jonmatthews4254]

Women of England, don't flush sanitary product. There, problem solved - partially.

[@tomjoyce6365]

No, it’s the same issue. Have you ever been inside a treatment works?

[@L1mepanda]

@tomjoyce6365 To answer your question, no. Why would I have? I have seen the tomato plants that sometimes get sprouting outside though.

[@TheHesseJames]

Yeah, just let’s keep it pure shit they are dumping.

[@siobhan-rae]

putting ed in a wetsuit is the most regional broadcast shit and i’m so here for it

[@Paul2377]

I'm not sure I'd wanna get in there after talking about how it's full of poo.

[@1inchPunchBowl]

Discharge is monitored.

[@a.m.gnovember151]

It's a protest.

[@Chaggy1978]

Makes me think twice about eating fish from the sea now.

[@whelkshuffler]

water company awarded themselves dividends that were higher than profits

[@RedSaint83]

Wonder if dumping all the sewage on Thatcher's grave would portal it straight to hell 🤔

[@chippyminton8711]

It's estimated 200 billion is needed to sort the problems in England & Wales, maybe the tech and corporations should foot the bill. All the profits payed out to shareholders have disappeared, the debt taken on by these franchises needs firmly dumping at their own doorstep,

[@tomjoyce6365]

£660 billion to segregate the existing combined drainage actually.

[@chippyminton8711]

@@tomjoyce6365 I think the numbers I saw weren't taking into account seperating the sewage and rainwater/ground water run off. That really would be a challenge, I'd like to see ascheme set up where 10,000 liter tanks are burried in peoples back gardens and the brown water used for toilet flushing, washing cars and watering gardens, we have 5 45 gallon water butts at our house and it's nowhere near enough to water the plants through the summer. One of my brothers has rigged up 2 IBC cubes , 1000 litres each and uses that water to flush their toilets

[@futures2247]

and these criminals are about to bump bills by 90%

[@tomjoyce6365]

Based on what information?

[@futures2247]

@@tomjoyce6365 recent announcement on the national radio news - came on for a short time last week then nothing else.

[@tomfinney3416]

the water companies in their bills charge 50% of that bill for waste water treatment , this contract between supplier of a service and the person paying the bill has been broken by the ones asking for our cash make a stand they will listen to , pay them only half the bill until they comply with their requirement to treat waste water instead of just letting it pollute our water they only care about money , so get their attention by hitting them in the pocket

[@stephenthomas3085]

Agreed. The only way is a mass refusal to pay. The political two party establishment; its financial and ideological and media backers will do the square root of sod all. Britain is set up for extraction and profiteering, it is effectively being whored out. Government by pimp was never going to be a good idea. Deregulation is the prime cause here, deregulation of the rules governing release of raw sewage, taken advantage of by the companies. Similarly, Truss (Christ preserve us from this person) when at the Dep of the Env relaxed the rules governing agriculture - the real killer of ecology in our rivers. And, recently, the govt removed an offset that was designed to limit building waste getting into rivers. The ideology of the right wing is truly destructive and against the interests of ordinary people.

[@rwjc4530]

Those Thames Water profits are in MP pockets

[@tomjoyce6365]

Bollocks again.

[@scooble]

Unfortunately, the Government brought in a clause for the regulator to prioritise growth over pollution. (Note also, Labour fully backed the change because they were scared of being labelled 'anti-growth')

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Never forget it was the tories who privatised all our utilities.. but nice try to deflect blame here.

[@scooble]

@@petyrkowalski9887 it's not a deflection, it's a statement that encourages the reader to be Cognizant of Labours priorities and motivations for when they take power. Therefore, under those conditions, consider the likelihood of change. Assigning blame does nothing to change, but awareness of motivations makes you aware of the risks.

[@ScottishRoss27]

@@scooble So Labour are going to be taxing Scots to bail out English water companies?

[@stephenwedderburn9307]

​@@petyrkowalski9887 he's not deflecting, Labour could re-nationlise the water companies but they won't do it. Starmers not saying much about changing the crappy policies the tories have inflicted onto the public, so until Labour say they're going something then they're not going to.

[@GKMusik1]

Get out of the shitty sea and take the protest to the council offices and water companies. Take some shitty water with you, see how things start to happen, otherwise NOTHING will change.

[@pisees738]

Outrageous and absolutely unacceptable. Support this cause fiercely 💪🏼 💚

[@Kiyarose3999]

I remember going to Brighton in the 90’s and the LA were digging up a massive hole on the Beech to sink a sewage holding tank into the beech. The idea to store sewage during the summer when tourists etc go into the water, then release it all during the winter months when tourists are not there. I couldn’t believe it at the time even though I saw them building it with my own eyes and fellow activists told me that is what was happening. ✊🏽🌎🌻

[@godsgod1677]

RIP clean fresh water.

[@markbattersby7253]

Neverr mind all the poor share holders are HAPPY we must look after them !

[@Cazgirl-hq4hi]

Thatcher privatised some 50 company’s in her reign .

[@gustavderkits8433]

It’s like “Jaws”, except that instead of “Shark!” People will be yelling “Turd!”

[@holdmyhand2009]

stop paying water bills. they're in breach of contract, therefore the contract is terminated. we pay for them to process waste, not dump it in our waters

[@tomjoyce6365]

Which clause are you referring to? Or are you just talking shite?

[@holdmyhand2009]

@@tomjoyce6365 the contract to supply us with clean water and clean the water we pay them to take away and clean. the whole contract, not just 'clauses' has been broken

[@holdmyhand2009]

@@tomjoyce6365 claus? look at the breakdown of charges. you are charged for cleaning the water.

[@lolaridgeback5875]

All the fish we eat are eating our poo.

[@tomjoyce6365]

No they’re not

[@hamishthompson3599]

The Labour government would make Ed brave the sea in boardies - that's worthy of a vote in my eyes.

[@richardtiiird8464]

It's ING appalling our water companies need to be bloody closed

[@samrhodes6387]

The water pollution killed are 6 year old Labrador and there were no signs up saying that the water at sewage in it

[@cutecraft8272]

Brightom was like this over 30 years ago when I was a child, amazed its taken so long for people to notice!

[@mrsgbee8246]

Why are we paying these people. They are not doing the job!

[@sayitlikeitis8759]

Got to protect the dividends for the shareholders - the hell with providing a service for those that pay their salaries.

[@roc7880]

aint nice when privatizing shit gets you more shit in the water? will they blame furigners or EU again?

[@ScottishRoss27]

Foreigners since the English Government privatised England's water industry in 1989 and its now owned mostly by foreign shareholders

[@coffeshop87]

By 2030!!! What a joke. It just shouldn't be happing. People should be loosing jobs and company's should be massively fined.

[@it-is-what-it-is-CFC]

Always been told our waters are dirty , since 1990 I've always knowed and never ever have I swam in these waters 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@lukas6538]

I can't imagine what state NHS would be in if it was privatised.

[@Jsarson1976]

The government does care at all!

[@lynnwalker9935]

They dumped sewage authorised by Parliament in the water ways

[@Captain_Aardvark]

Unfortunately the only thing that's going to change this is going after the companies and individuals who have looted the public purse via the water companies and force them to pay it back.

[@ScottishRoss27]

Englands police doesn't have jurisdiction in Australia where the largest shareholder of Southern Water is based.

[@Captain_Aardvark]

@@ScottishRoss27 I imagine it will be hugely difficult with all of them - after all, how many of the companies that have looted the public purse are likely to have clear ownership structures?

[@ScottishRoss27]

@@Captain_Aardvark The Australian based asset management company that owns Southern Water says the people of Brighton can sleep with the kangaroos mate.

[@tomjoyce6365]

So privatised companies have looted the public purse? Through which mechanism is that exactly? You’re talking out of your arse.

[@Captain_Aardvark]

@@tomjoyce6365 They get paid subsidies which are then in turn paid out as dividends. How stupid are you?

[@weAreNotAloneHere]

Becareful evil will try flip this on you and start charging tax for pooping

[@comicbookguygamecat]

Well done to those protesting.

[@jeffreygoggin2849]

It won't end because the water companies have said themselves it's cheaper to pay the finds than to invest in putting the problem right

[@daikucoffee5316]

I applaud you for actually getting into a wetsuit

[@alansdorsetfossils4028]

I think you might find at least part of the increase in sewage is down to that fact that we have left the E.U. Our government were heavily fined by the E.U. a number of times I recall. This made them lean on the water companies to improve. That's all gone now another Brexit dividend🙄. I know there has been an increase in rainfall and water companies need to increase capacity to deal with these events that are climate related.

[@yetidodger6650]

ever wondered why there is a revolving door between government and utilitie companies.

[@sam04019491]

Why are these people still swimming in it? There’s no way I’d ever get in that water. May as well just shit in your ice cube tray and have it in your drinks.

[@jonh9561]

I remember water skiing off Eastbourne's back in late 1980's and there used condoms and mashed up sewage everywhere, so we packed up and left. This pollution issue has been going on for decades and it's disgusting.

[@donaldexcell6697]

Brilliant protest thank you

[@jonmacneil1350]

The one thing that really shocked me about England was the state of their water, absolutely horrifying, that includes the drinking water, not fit for dogs..

[@thisismetoday]

Such an important piece of reporting!!

[@SeeWildlife]

This is campaigning done right. For a cause that can be fixed. More power to you.

[@l3eatalphal3eatalpha]

A friend, amazing Hammond player, lost hearing in one ear after swimming in the sea at Brighton. Tragedy. I made mixes in mono specially for him.

[@lizmacrae4970]

Stop all dividends to shareholders until it is cleaned up….

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

There was a time when purchasing and selling shares was risky. But now the ownership of shares in a previously nationally owned enterprise is more or less a guarantee of healthy dividends- because all of the risk is covered by the end customer / user.

[@Mounhas]

A combination of lacklustre money draining privatised water companies & thoughtless dorks putting those things in the WC isn’t great.

[@outofideas42]

Welcome back to Brighton ed!

[@whatever133701]

more like darkton

[@stefrost4029]

Absolutely on their side, though I don't understand why they're *in* the water. I live in Brighton and I avoid going in the sea because it's so gross. I'd join the protest - from the beach.

[@pauldby1479]

Water needs to be nationalised not owned by foreign investors with no real interest in UK and ban CEO bonuses

[@pursuethepull]

Absolutely love this!!! Brilliant video! Well done!!!!🌏♥

[@mathewgrover6455]

2024, and still we are dealing with S**t

[@flucazade]

Must be the tide of month

[@Samuelam.]

Why do we pay our water bill, when they damage our sea.

[@mygreatbigfoot1679]

Privatisation of public monopolies and new-liarbar are in favour of this.

[@timwoodger7896]

I don’t what the problem is ? You just get a job and build a swimming pool like fishy Sunaks Did 🤷‍♂️

[@AlienYogurtPot123]

They could easily pump it out much, much further away into the sea. Then their wouldn't be these protest at all.

[@robertjr555]

well done to all tho's protesting👏👏👏

[@az956]

Those companies don’t have to eat shit, they can DRINK it!! 💩

[@The_Reality_Filter]

I live in North Devon and the weekend "surfers" from London leave sh!t all over the place...

[@mycosys]

Oh, turns out its TURD island too eh?

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

Renationalise without compensation!

[@KevinMilton-ls2km]

Everyone send your water Company legal notice, charge them £ , use the legal system to your benefit, this is the reason they get away with it . Address your letters to the water company with To whom it may concern , that way they are all accountable!!!

[@anoshya]

Growing up in Blackpool in the 50s we used to find condoms in the sea..we thought they were Morecambe jelly fish

[@rogerpeberdy1878]

Well the answer to that question is don't pay your water bills make them pay for it

[@Jimbo878]

"My Dads' deaf in one ear...but I've fortunately got the same ears as a dolphin" 😮

[@matwilliams4608]

Dont pay them any more .

[@nialbarnsley4108]

I've got a good idea. Let's protest against sewage I the sea by swimming in the sea. Perhaps all the sewage has contaminated them already

[@Dunbar0740]

"Shitters against surfers". One of the stickers that adorned the walls of the New Kensington pub in Brighton's North Lanes, in 1994. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

[@ericaceous1652]

Props for getting in Ed!

[@uncle_monty]

Let the CEOs and their families swim in it, and the Tories with them. Makes me so angry...

[@user-fq2cf6xf2s]

Protesting the shitty, water by getting into it and paddling around? 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@sam5281]

If the waters so filthy why are you all swimming in it!