What's more important - saving energy or saving marine and human health? It's a tricky question, given the current climate (excuse the pun) in which CO2 emissions reductions are top of the environmental, economic and political agenda.
But it's one being posed in north-east England. Surfers are campaigning against a move by Northumbrian Water to stop ultraviolet disinfection during winter of pre-treated sewage which is pumped into the sea.
The company says that stopping the process during winter, when there are less people using the beaches, could save up to 2,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, and it would not adversely affect the marine environment or bathing water quality.
But the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) argues that there will be a drop in water quality, to the extent that there will be an increased risk of people catching waterborne diseases.
The surfers say they aren't against saving energy, but believe that if the company is serious about the issue it could focus on other areas. Among other examples, it says that if Northumbrian Water repaired all its leaky pipes it could stop up to 23,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The proposal is currently before the Environment Agency, which is holding a public consultation that ends tomorrow. SAS are encouraging supporters to sign their petition calling for the agency to refuse the application, and to rally outside the water company's Durham offices tomorrow morning, complete with "boards, wetsuits and friends".
