ANGRY water users in Cornwall will plunge into the sea this Saturday (May 17) to lead a nationwide rebellion against what campaigners call an environmental scandal: the relentless discharge of raw sewage into the UK’s rivers and coastlines.

Three Cornish beaches — Gyllyngvase (12pm), Porthmeor and Seaton (both 1pm) – will host Paddle Out Protests as part of a wave of action at more than 40 locations across the UK.

The protests, coordinated by environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), mark the start of the bathing season with a message of outrage, not celebration.

The action follows alarming figures revealing that South West Water discharged sewage over 56,000 times so far this year. The pollution lasted a combined 9,074 hours and included spills into designated bathing waters.

For the third year in a row, Seaton Beach has recorded the highest levels of sewage pollution of any bathing spot in Cornwall.

Protesters say they’ve had enough.

Marcus Kern, a local representative for Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Seaton Beach has received more sewage pollution than any other bathing site in Cornwall every year for the last three years and not enough is done to stop this. The water treatment works in Seaton Valley hasn’t even got a monitor fitted to report its pollution for crying out loud!”

Across the UK, new data paints a picture of corporate failure and political negligence. Sewage was discharged over half a million times last year – once every single minute. Water companies were supposed to cut pollution by 40%. Instead, it rose by 30%. Meanwhile, shareholders pocketed £1.2 billion in dividends.

Giles Bristow, CEO at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Another year, another summer of swimming and surfing in sewage while our shameless water companies laugh all the way to the bank. The public has simply had enough and will be paddling out in their thousands to send a clear message to government and the polluters: end this sewage scandal now!”

Protesters are demanding a complete overhaul of the privatised water sector in England and Wales, and increased monitoring and transparency in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where only a small percentage of sewage overflows are monitored.

Surfers Against Sewage is urging people to join the protest and then email their MP to call for serious reform of the water industry.

Giles added: “Our failing water industry has been trumpeting billions in investment to clean up their act, but we know that these fat cat bosses can’t be trusted to keep their promises. The proof is in the missed targets, shocking statistics and devastating stories of sickness we continue to see year after year.”

“People should be free to use the water without fear of getting sick, and that’s why we developed the Safer Seas & Rivers Service, a free app that provides real-time pollution alerts, giving peace of mind for those worried about sewage pollution.”