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Surfers Against Sewage beach alerts flag up 48 spills | Surfers Against Sewage beach alerts flag up 48 spills |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A new sewage alert system for beachgoers has flagged up 48 sewage spills across Devon and Cornwall since it launched in June. | A new sewage alert system for beachgoers has flagged up 48 sewage spills across Devon and Cornwall since it launched in June. |
The text and email alerts are a trial collaboration between Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and a number of water companies. | The text and email alerts are a trial collaboration between Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and a number of water companies. |
Salcombe, in Devon, has had nine sewage alerts and Summerleaze beach in Bude, Cornwall, has had eight. | Salcombe, in Devon, has had nine sewage alerts and Summerleaze beach in Bude, Cornwall, has had eight. |
SAS said the spills were happening "too frequently". | |
The trial began in the South West on 20 June. | The trial began in the South West on 20 June. |
'Surprise, shock and disgust' | |
It involves South West Water (SWW) informing SAS when sewage is discharged from Combined Storm Overflows (CSOs) near beaches. | |
SAS then texts or emails the 1,500 subscribers to let them know about the sewage. | |
Andy Cummins, from SAS, told BBC News that SAS had been campaigning about sewage releases "for years". | |
He said since the alert system had been operating, SAS was seeing "surprise, shock and disgust" from the public. | |
"We have a [sewage] system that's full to the brim already," he said. | |
"That's not acceptable, we need to work on improving the system." | |
'Short term impact' | |
South West Water said: "No other European country is offering this sort of live information on risks to bathing water quality. | |
"The system is broadly telling us what we and most beach users know - that storms can have a short term impact on the quality of the bathing water. | |
"We need to analyse the results carefully across the whole season and compare them with the sampling data to decide whether we need to make further investment at specific locations." | |
Mr Cummins said that if no sewage alerts were sent out beachgoers "should have confidence in the water quality." | |
The South West trial is due to end on September 30 but Mr Cummins said SAS hoped to work with the Environment Agency to introduce the alerts year round. |
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