I was one of two campaigners from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) to make a dramatic on-stage protest against Northumbrian Water during last night's prestigious British Environment and Media Awards (Bemas), which were held in London's Canary Wharf.
SAS has been objecting to the water company's plans to reduce the level of sewage treatment they apply to coastal sewage treatment works in north-east England as soon as the summer bathing season finishes on September 30. If it is successful in its applications, the "state of the art" sewage treatment process would only be turned on again at the start of the bathing season on May 1.
We chose this event, which Northumbrian Water was sponsoring, to make the UK's environmental media fully aware of the water company's intentions. In fact we looked on the event first and foremost as a campaign action and actually only applied to the best website category to help get us into the venue to carry out the action. Getting short listed was a shock and a surprise and to go on to win the award was even better. "Stoked" (surfer slang for very happy) is probably the best way to describe our evening!
In what turned out to be a short but lively interruption to the night's proceedings, SAS campaigners, wearing board shorts and dinner jackets, presented their own "Golden loo brush award" to the company's communications director, for showing a disregard to the health of the marine environment.
Northumbrian Water has applied to the Environment Agency to turn off the UV disinfection (full) sewage treatment process outside the bathing season at six sewage treatment works in north-east England, in Howdon, Hendon, Seaton Carew, Billingham, Bran Sands and Marske.
The SAS ise objecting on the grounds that water quality will be reduced, therefore increasing the risk of contracting a sewage-related illness in a region highly popular with recreational water users.
The plans currently being assessed by the Environment Agency (EA) have caused SAS and the surf community huge concern, as many surf breaks would see a reduction in water quality if the UV disinfection process is turned off from September to May. Reducing the level of sewage treatment in this way will increase the risk of contracting a waterborne disease for recreational water users such as surfers.
If Northumbrian Water is successful, the affected stretch of coast would include a large number of popular surf breaks, from Hartley reef in the North to Saltburn in the south. The breaks are also home to a significant number of surf-related business, university surf clubs, surf schools and also includes a national surf contest site.
While the SAS is hugely concerned about the world's energy consumption and its impact on climate change, turning off a vital sewage treatment process to conserve energy could have devastating effects on not just the marine environment but also the health of those using it for recreation. Such a move would be a significant step backwards in protecting our marine environment from pollution and SAS believes there are other energy saving steps the company should be making first and foremost. For instance treating water to a potable level and supplying it to customers is also an energy intensive process.
Treated water that escapes through leaks is a huge waste of energy. If Northumbrian Water fixed all of its leaks, it could reduce its CO2 emissions by up to an estimated 23,000 tonnes. That's a CO2 saving 10 times greater than the CO2 emissions they'd save by turning off UV for the winter! The water company could also be doing more to create its own renewable energy from the sewage treatment process.
The SAS believess that all water companies could become more energy efficient whilst maintaining the high water quality the UK requires to protect our coastline and those using it for recreation.
Watch a short film about the campaign.
