[Misc] Sewage in the sea

[Publius Ovidius]

This just popped up on my phone, so at your own risk! View attachment 151197
Edit: I just checked Southern Water's Beachbuoy website and its showing as an unverified release so use all your senses before immersion.

Jeez. Ok thanks

 

[knocky1]

As the political landscape changes, and the publics priorities change, then subject like this become more important and therefore political parties are more likely to state their stance and aims for areas like this, and then voters can use that to judge the aims and whether or not to vote for them.

For many years green policy and environmental protection weren't seen as a big issue, but times have changed due to climate change, so political parties will know they have to move with the times and either change or state their stance for voters to judge them on. Those standing for election who feel the status quo is fine will find it harder to secure votes and less likely to reach a position where they can implement their stance.

It hasn't been a major topic before, but since the dodgy practices in the industry have come to light, and public opinion has revealed that the public expect far higher standards that he industry currently provide, there will be more focus on delivering solutions and companies are less likely to be able to get away with the practice that Southern Water had between 2010 and 2015.

My previous comments have been about tempering public expectations in what can reasonably be delivered and in what sort of time scale. There seem to be a lot of comments that imply the industry has still decided to take the fines and not invest or act to try to solve this issue that is at the forefront of public consciousness which i very much doubt to be the case.



It's clearly a problem that is going to take more than just water companies to solve, and it's good to hear that councils are involved and helping to ensure that solutions are being included in new builds and that schemes like rain gardens are being brought in.

These are measures you don't hear about in the usual rants about a spill (whether it was a permitted one by the EA or not, and i doubt they have checked first to find out which it was before posting) and shows that steps are being taken, but clearly there is still a very long way to go and far more to be done.

Unfortunately the voters who voted in Johnson don't give a ****, he doesn't give a **** and Truss is a ****.
As a hard left Socialist in the 80's I borrowed money to buy shares in each of the 8 or 9 water companies Maggie gave away plus x2 in partners name. Made £3,000 in a week. Tory *****. How much profit, Executive pay and divivends have been paid since then. How much invested in a rotten infrastructure?

Don't tell me I'm jumping on a climate change band wagon. The outcome was obvious. Now where did I put my prosecco..

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Spent a couple of hours on Seaford Beach this morning….don’t think I’ve ever seen the water as clear as it was today. Beware the invisible nasties

I was down there 11am, high tide, lots of anglers again, beach pretty empty, sea has been clearer in my experience, but I suffered no ill effects after a lengthy swim.

 

[zefarelly]

This. 100%. Many economists argue that water companies are just behaving like the capitalist companies they are - maximising profits for shareholders and externalising costs as much (polluting and not fixing leaks). When advising Michael Gove as Defra Secretary, Prof Dieter Helm started a project to put an economic value on a lot of the environment but its stalled with changes of Ministers and other priorities.
Private companies cannot be trusted to safeguard the environment without effective and well funded regulation and there's a strong argument that they shouldn't be doing it at all.

Neither private companies or politicians can be trust nor should be allowed to manage anything to do with the environment or natural resource

 

[Thunder Bolt]

People in Hastings letting their feelings be known. Hugh Merriman (Bexhill) voted for the amendment, Hart voted against it.


[tweet]1563235754414731266[/tweet]

The amendment put forward by the Duke of Wellington.

[tweet]1563247636416962563[/tweet]

 

[Is it PotG?]

Time we stopped moaning and bellyaching and just got on with it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62708413

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

“Sewage dumped in sea in Hove, Shoreham and Southwick”

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/20908159.sewage-dumped-sea-hove-shoreham-southwick/

Lovely

 

[Half Time Pies]

“Sewage dumped in sea in Hove, Shoreham and Southwick”

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/20908159.sewage-dumped-sea-hove-shoreham-southwick/

Lovely

Its funny that this is now news because as a year around sea swimmer, I am aware that it happens literally all the time!

There was a channel 4 dispatches on it the other night. In a nutshell
- Environment agency budget has been cut by 80% since 2010
- Water companies have been left to 'self monitor' with only the most serious pollution cases investigated.
- the programme found 870 sewage outflows without a permit! These were off grid and not monitored however all were active.
- In many cases the sewage treatment works had simply not been upgraded for years and in line with additional housing and businesses.
- the law allows for discharges in exceptional circumstances like extreme and prolonged downfalls of rain yet this is a loophole that is now being exploited.
- As the system doesn't have the capacity to cope discharges are happening frequently and sometimes constantly when there is little or no rain at all.

There has been a lot of smoke and mirrors on this thread but the bottom line is that this is what happens when you give a private company ownership of a monopolistic service, slash the budget of the regulator and allow them to self monitor!

The water companies have been taking the piss! in 2019 Southern Water pleaded guilty to 51 counts of widespread and long term breaches of environmental law between 2010 and 2015, the court found that they had 'deliberately presented a misleading picture of compliance to the Environment Agency, hindering proper regulation of the company'. 'What we found in this case is shocking. In all, it shows the company was being run with scant regard for its responsibilities to society and the environment. It was not just the poor operational performance, but the co-ordinated efforts to hide and deceive customers of the fact that are so troubling. The previous management failed to stamp out this behaviour and failed to manage its plants properly'.

 

[portlock seagull]

Its funny that this is now news because as a year around sea swimmer, I am aware that it happens literally all the time!

There was a channel 4 dispatches on it the other night. In a nutshell
- Environment agency budget has been cut by 80% since 2010
- Water companies have been left to 'self monitor' with only the most serious pollution cases investigated.
- the programme found 870 sewage outflows without a permit! These were off grid and not monitored however all were active.
- In many cases the sewage treatment works had simply not been upgraded for years and in line with additional housing and businesses.
- the law allows for discharges in exceptional circumstances like extreme and prolonged downfalls of rain yet this is a loophole that is now being exploited.
- As the system doesn't have the capacity to cope discharges are happening frequently and sometimes constantly when there is little or no rain at all.

There has been a lot of smoke and mirrors on this thread but the bottom line is that this is what happens when you give a private company ownership of a monopolistic service, slash the budget of the regulator and allow them to self monitor!

The water companies have been taking the piss! in 2019 Southern Water pleaded guilty to 51 counts of widespread and long term breaches of environmental law between 2010 and 2015, the court found that they had 'deliberately presented a misleading picture of compliance to the Environment Agency, hindering proper regulation of the company'. 'What we found in this case is shocking. In all, it shows the company was being run with scant regard for its responsibilities to society and the environment. It was not just the poor operational performance, but the co-ordinated efforts to hide and deceive customers of the fact that are so troubling. The previous management failed to stamp out this behaviour and failed to manage its plants properly'.

Interesting and thank you for taking the time and trouble to summarise as I wanted to watch. Great pun too!

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

You going in today HTP? Checking the Brighton seafront cam it’s looking a wee bit choppy, currently undecided here.

 

[Half Time Pies]

You going in today HTP? Checking the Brighton seafront cam it’s looking a wee bit choppy, currently undecided here.

Not today, like you say its looking bit choppy and looks like its forecast to get worse as they day goes on. Might have head for shoreham harbour but the safer seas app shows some discharges in Shoreham and Southwick during the storm last night.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Its funny that this is now news because as a year around sea swimmer, I am aware that it happens literally all the time!

Year round, crikey. Out of interest, how long do you go in the water in the coldest part of the winter?

 

[BLOCK F]

Year round, crikey. Out of interest, how long do you go in the water in the coldest part of the winter?

Barging in here I’m afraid and I apologise, but I go in from April to October and April is rather cool!
Actually went in for a short dip in January this year(no wetsuit) and it was ‘very tingly’, shall we say. I stayed in for about 5 minutes at the most!

 

[Half Time Pies]

Year round, crikey. Out of interest, how long do you go in the water in the coldest part of the winter?

We are normally swimming for between 30mins and 50mins all year around but in the coldest months all the Neoprene is on (Wetsuit, Gloves and Socks). The worst bit in Jan/ Feb/ March is that initial shock when you first get in!

 

[Half Time Pies]

Barging in here I’m afraid and I apologise, but I go in from April to October and April is rather cool!
Actually went in for a short dip in January this year(no wetsuit) and it was ‘very tingly’, shall we say. I stayed in for about 5 minutes at the most!

Yes Aprils still pretty chilly, October/ November is normally OK.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

We are normally swimming for between 30mins and 50mins all year around but in the coldest months all the Neoprene is on (Wetsuit, Gloves and Socks). The worst bit in Jan/ Feb/ March is that initial shock when you first get in!

Will never do a wetsuit, I’m far too much of a purist . Two pairs of neoprene socks through winter, gloves often, although gloves tend to balloon with water in my experience. As someone with Raynauds the extremities have to be covered in winter, for all the good it does. That said, Jan-March I’m in and out in about 10 minutes. Couldn’t do 30 minutes Jan-March.

 

[Half Time Pies]

Will never do a wetsuit, I’m far too much of a purist . Two pairs of neoprene socks through winter, gloves often, although gloves tend to balloon with water in my experience. As someone with Raynauds the extremities have to be covered in winter, for all the good it does. That said, Jan-March I’m in and out in about 10 minutes. Couldn’t do 30 minutes Jan-March.

I must admit I have had a few comments from the purists! Anti-Wetsuit Snobbery!

We got in to it initially for exercise, so time in the water was most important and cold water benefits a secondary thing. Although I now much prefer swimming in the winter when its really cold and you get the rush of endorphins! Also great for the immune system!

Do you find the sea swimming helps your Reynauds? My wife and one of my kids has it and it tends to put them off getting in the sea.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I must admit I have had a few comments from the purists! Anti-Wetsuit Snobbery!

We got in to it initially for exercise, so time in the water was most important and cold water benefits a secondary thing. Although I now much prefer swimming in the winter when its really cold and you get the rush of endorphins! Also great for the immune system!

Do you find the sea swimming helps your Reynauds? My wife and one of my kids has it and it tends to put them off getting in the sea.

100% on the endorphins, I get on my bike to ride home afterwards and it’s like I’ve been injected with everything Lance Armstrong took over his entire career in one dose, absolutely buzzing with energy etc. I00% on the immunity too, I so rarely get sick, touch wood.

Unfortunately it does nothing for the circulation issue, neoprene or not my hands and feet come out white, numb and bloodless and getting dressed can be a struggle with non working fingers.

 

[BrightonCottager]

100% on the endorphins, I get on my bike to ride home afterwards and it’s like I’ve been injected with everything Lance Armstrong took over his entire career in one dose, absolutely buzzing with energy etc. I00% on the immunity too, I so rarely get sick, touch wood.

Unfortunately it does nothing for the circulation issue, neoprene or not my hands and feet come out white, numb and bloodless and getting dressed can be a struggle with non working fingers.

Up until now I've only swum from about April to October, without a wetsuit but with neoprene shoes and a hat at the beginning/end of the season. I surf in the winter and even with full neoprene on I still get Reynauds.

 

[banjo]

A few less turds in Brighton now moved to Chelsea