Turning the Tide: British Public Stands up for Water

As sewage hits the headlines once again, WildFish joins community groups across the UK to demand action. 

The public is outraged by the lack of action by water companies, regulators and the government to clean up our polluted rivers and seas. They have turned our rivers into open sewers, and our seas into places unfit for wildlife and people. Despite public outcry, these agencies are watering down their action on pollution.

In response, the public has stood up for water; organising hundreds of local campaign groups, testing our local water quality, applying for bathing status, engaging our local politicians and representatives, petitioning parliament and the water companies, and continuing to lobby, persuade and protest.

Now, water quality campaign groups – frustrated that the public who pay for both the water companies and regulation continue to be ignored – have joined forces to publish a public declaration.

The mess our rivers and seas are in needs to be owned by everyone to be fixed by everyone. This coalition of complimentary skills makes this possible.

Nick Measham

CEO

Public Declaration

Our rivers and seas should be protected for nature, for ourselves and for future generations.

This is our declaration:

• Stop pollution for profit.
• Make our waters healthy and safe again.
• Action now, not targets sometime.
• Regulation that protects the victims, not the polluters.
• Now it’s time for the polluters to pay.

Water companies must comply with, and regulators must regulate according to the 1991 Water Industry Act and 1994 Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, which require all sewage to be treated, and for storm overflows (which discharge raw sewage) to only operate in truly exceptional circumstances.

The declaration is also signed by Ilkley Clean River Campaign, River Action, Surfers Against Sewage, SOS Whitstable and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution.

With support from Boston Spa, Wetherby & Villages Green Group, Clean River Kent Campaign, Hayling Sewage Watch, Nidd Action Group, Oxford Rivers Project and Save Windermere.