Eleven locations in the South Hams have had sewage discharged into the sea, according to Surfers Against Sewage

Surfers Against Sewage, SAS, have been keeping an eye on the sewage discharges into the sea for decades, while they campaign for cleaner waters in the UK. 

Due to rainfall on Wednesday, 16 April, sewage overflows discharged across South Devon over the 48 hours before. 

The areas in the South Hams that were flagged by Surfers Against Sewage are: 

• Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove
• Dittisham Dart Estuary
• Hope Cove
• Salcombe Mill Bay
• Mothecombe
• Salcombe South Sands
• Slapton Sands Torcross
• Steamer Quay Dart Estuary
• Stoke Gabriel Dart Estuary
• Thurlestone South
• Warfleet Creek Dart Estuary

Sewer overflows are designed to release water and sewage out of the sewers with the aim of stopping sewage backing up into homes. However, this has raised health concerns as sewage flows into rivers, lakes and onto the coast.

The Surfers Against Sewage website states: "Something stinks… Pollution plagues our rivers, seas and coasts, making us sick, spoiling our favourite swim spots, destroying delicate ecosystems, killing our wildlife, and threatening ocean recovery.

"Sewage pollution is everything we flush down the loo or wash down the drain that is released into the environment through sewer overflows, or that washes off the land and roads. Poor waste management is also to blame.

"The sheer volume of pollution entering our water means the UK consistently ranks as one of the worst European countries for coastal water quality. Meanwhile, only 14% of our rivers warrant ‘good’ ecological status.

"This pollution puts water users at risk of contracting harmful illnesses including viruses and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. A report by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH) highlighted that sea bathers in the UK remain just as likely to become ill from seawater as they were in the 1990s.

"Poor water quality also prevents individuals enjoying the mental and physical wellbeing benefits associated from engagement with the ocean environment."

You can find out more about Surfers Against Sewage on their website: www.sas.org.uk and you can check her sewage discharge map here: Is it safe to swim?