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UK Bathing Waters and Combined Sewer Overflows

Surfers Against Sewage question the integrity of the Blue Flag awards for clean beaches — We record here research published by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) on 6th August 2010 which suggests that around one-quarter of the beaches in the UK which are flying the premier quality Blue Flag are, in fact, experiencing contamination from local sewage discharges. For details of the beaches affected and how this pollution is caused see the SAS Report, and for details of the risks that this may pose for public health, see the MARINET item below titled: "Pathogens identified in sewage contimated bathing water." This is a long ongoing scam as can be seen by going to www.marinet.org.uk/ukbw/blueflags.html and others on this website such as www.marinet.org.uk/ukbw/pressrelease0407.html.

Pathogens identified in sewage contaminated bathing water — We provide here the full text of the publication Swimming in Sewage published jointly in 2004 by the US Natural Resources Defence Council and the Environmental Integrity Project (www.nrdc.org and www.environmentalintegrity.org).

This publication records the exact nature of the pathogens and diseases which humans run the risk of contracting when they bathe in waters that have been contaminated by human sewage and animal wastes. These diseases have been tabulated here in the publication which also discusses the nature of the practices in the sewage treatment industry which may result in the contamination of bathing waters.

This listing of pathogens present in untreated sewage complements that already resides on our website under 'Wastewater and Sewage Treatment', 28th October 2009, to be found at www.marinet.org.uk/ukbw/sewage.html.

EC to take the UK to Court over Waste Water Directive 91/271/EEC — The European Commission has today decided to take the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over non-compliance with EU environment legislation. The Commission is concerned that the urban waste water collecting systems and treatment facilities in London and Whitburn in North East England are inadequate and a threat to human health.

UK Bathing Waters : 2009 compliance (from last years analyses) — We publish here the performance of bathing waters throughout the United Kingdom in 2008 against the mandatory and guideline standards of the EU Bathing Water Directive, 76/160/EEC. These performance figures have been prepared by MARINET, based on data supplied by the Environment Agencies of the UK constituent countries and the Dept of Environment for Northern Ireland.

Please note: Our calculation of the performance of bathing waters against the mandatory standard differs from that of the UK Government in that we provide a performance rating based on the presence of salmonella and enteroviruses, in addition to total coliforms and faecal E.coli. The presence of salmonella and enteroviruses should be monitored under the Directive's rules if the presence of sewage-based pathogens in the bathing water is suspected, but the UK has consistently ignored this requirement. As far as we are aware, MARINET is the only organisation publishing performance figures on this basis and thus providing the public with this record.

The European Environment Agency has created an interactive map which allows the public to establish the water quality at all official coastal and inland bathing water sites in Europe. The map also allows the public to submit their comments about these sites, and to view the comments submitted by others.
The map may be accessed here.

MARINET member explains storm sewage problem at Whitburn — from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) being used by Northumbrian Water to avoid the building of properly sized rainwater and foul water sewers, and adequate sewage treatment works.

Continuing Sewage Pollution of Beaches — from the many Combined Sewage Outfalls that have not been updated since their installation in Victorian times despite far higher population discharges.

Press Release - British Bathing Waters — UK Government concealing serious health risks.

A Response to DEFRA — Here is MARINET's correspondence with DEFRA concerning 'Bathing Water Newsletter' detailing the implementation of the forthcoming revised 2006/7/EC Bathing Waters Directive.

UK Infringement on Bathing Waters — The story of our work with the Urban Waste Water Directive

Wastewater and Sewage Treatment — the reasoning, the methodology, terminology and results

Blue Flags, Blue Flag look-alikes and Jolly Rogers — Just what do those blue flags mean?

Undercover Marinet personnel about to test seawater at an undisclosed location on the Norfolk coast.