Raw sewage discharged into nearly half of Devon and Cornwall’s beaches in the last 48 hours, means one group of servicemen who suffer from PTSD is unable to swim at their local beach without getting sick.
A total of 54 beaches out of more than 100 across Devon and Cornwall were subject to raw sewage discharge at the time of writing on Sunday morning, according to Surfers Against Sewage.
John Hayward, a Royal Marine living in Plymouth told i it is “galling” to see South West Water “pat each other on the back” and receive bonuses when his swimming group “3Bouys” often become very ill after being in the water at their local beach, Firestone Bay.
During times of heavy rainfall, water companies are permitted to discharge untreated sewage into bodies of water through points known as combined sewer overflows (CSOs).
Mr Hayward said that he understands why sewage has to be discharged after a storm, but has noticed alerts of sewage dumping in dry periods too.
On Sunday, Mr Hayward went in the water before he was aware of the sewage dumping alert, and said he now expects to get ill on Tuesday, which is normally when he starts to suffer from stomach bugs after swimming in sewage.
The marine said he understands that the people who work at South West water “are human” and that “Plymouth is not a particularly well-funded area”, but it’s “deeply frustrating to then see these water companies make the money they do while we swim in s***.”
He said he doesn’t know how often he’s been swimming in sewage before he became aware of the possibility to check sewage alerts, adding that he’s “getting very bored of South West water dumping waste into the sea”.
His swimming group is made up of many ex-servicemen, some who suffer with PTSD after tours in Afghanistan, whose time in the water was deemed so important the group were permitted to meet up during lockdown.
Mr Hayward said: “Its a crucial time of the week for some of us to meet up, feel a sense of community, have a manly hug and handshake once a week.”
South West Water told i: “Rainfall across parts of the region over the past few days has caused some storm overflows to activate in line with their permits and they are operating as intended, to protect homes and businesses from flooding.”
Included in the raw sewage discharge points were three beaches in protected areas including the Penwith Heritage Coast, the National Trust Trevose Headland and the North Devon National Landscape.
Last week, a Devon beauty spot where Queen Victoria spent time as a child suffered a raw sewage discharge for more than 12 hours.
It comes after i revealed that a sea swimmer from Exmouth, Devon, is taking South West Water to court over sea sewage discharges that she claims have harmed her health and prevented her from taking daily swims.
Retired NHS physiotherapist Jo Bateman has submitted an action to the Small Claims Court alleging that illegal sewage spills into the sea at her local beach have affected both her physical and mental wellbeing.
In her claim, Ms Bateman details 54 instances when she believes South West Water illegally dumped sewage into the sea during 2023.
Most of Britain relies on a “combined sewage system” built in the Victorian era, meaning wastewater is transported to treatment plants in the same pipes as rainwater.
