Wessex Water: 'Sickened' sewage activists, part of water bill boycott, to hold public meeting with water firm

Sewage activists are holding a coastal walk and public meeting with their local water firm today after people have been “sickened” and “angry” by the amount of raw waste going into the sea and rivers. Wessex Water representatives have agreed to listen to people’s concerns at the public meeting today (Friday 15 March) at Portland Community Venue at 7pm.

The representatives have also agreed to take a walk with campaigners and water users before the meeting, walking along the coast path in Weymouth and Portland. Along the walk they will visit the numerous sewage outfalls where sewage has been discharged.

The event has been organised by the Don't Pay for Dirty Water campaign. The campaign joins forces with Extinction Rebellion and the Water Bill Boycott to help people safely withhold payment of the sewage element of their bills.

Campaigner co-ordinator, Caz Dennett, who has not paid the sewerage charge part of her water bill for nearly a year, said she has “recently analysed data from Wessex Water” that “shows there are many more sewage outfalls around Weymouth and Portland, that we didn’t previously know about.” She added: “Only outfalls at designated bathing waters or assumed amenity waters are publicised. There are 18 sewage discharge sites, compared to eight published on their website, and therefore monitored by the Surfers Against Sewage app. We’ve been fooled.”

The campaign claims that there is a sewage outfall at Ferrybridge into the Fleet Lagoon, a Marine Protected Area but its “existence has not been well publicised” and “water users have not been aware of it until now.”  Wessex Water say the Ferrybridge outfall has not discharged sewage since its records started in 2016, but it is operational.

Local sea-swimmer Val Graves said it has been “quite a surprise to learn there are more sewage outfalls that discharge into Radipole Lake, Weymouth Harbour and Portland Harbour”, adding that it “really impacts our local area and swimmers”. She said: "I really welcome the opportunity for this discussion, and urge for greater transparency, accountability, and improvements from Wessex Water”.

Julie-Ann Booker has helped organise many dirty water protests by Extinction Rebellion in central Weymouth over the past year or so and says everyone is “fed up with the private water companies charging us for managing waste water, but dumping the sewage in our seas and rivers, and then pocketing big profits and bonuses.” She added: “Not only is it a public health scandal, it is a total rip-off. People are sickened and angry. They believe we deserve better, and nature and wildlife deserve better."

Wessex Water told NationalWorld that the water is not ‘dirty’ at Weymouth or Portland, or anywhere in Dorset, adding that the Environment Agency independently assesses water quality at designated bathing waters and at both locations it is rated Excellent. The firm said that no one is being ‘fooled’ regarding storm overflows as the locations can be found on its website and they are licensed by the Environment Agency.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Water quality at designated bathing waters in Dorset is assessed by the Environment Agency and rated Excellent, including at Weymouth and Portland where storm overflows might operate during or after intense rainfall to prevent properties from flooding. Wessex Water was the first UK water company to provide overflow discharge alerts 365 days a year, with complete coverage of all bathing waters in our area, and we’ve provided this data for the Surfers Against Sewage app for more than 12 years. Although storm overflows are licensed by the EA and discharge mostly rainwater, we’re committed to reducing how often they operate and are investing £3 million every month on schemes to achieve this.”