Councillors take on sewage pollution scandal with new 'year-round' beach testing scheme

Liberal Democrat Cornwall councillors are taking the fight against sewage pollution into their own hands, launching a year-round beach water testing scheme with Surfers Against Sewage to build a clearer picture of water quality along North Cornwall’s coastline.

Councillors Rosie Moore (Wadebridge East and St Minver), David Garrigan (St Teath and Tintagel), James O’Keefe (Padstow) and Faye Emery (Stratton, Kilkhampton and Morwenstow), will carry out rapid water tests on local beaches beyond the official bathing season.

The Environment Agency’s routine bathing water testing runs from mid-May to the end of September, despite local residents and visitors continuing to swim, surf and enjoy North Cornwall’s beaches throughout the autumn and winter.

Determined to address this gap, the councillors are working with Surfers Against Sewage to use Bactiquick rapid testing kits, which can deliver results in around 15 minutes. Their aim is to gather evidence on bacterial contamination, improve information available to beach users and strengthen the campaign for cleaner, safer seas.

The initiative comes after South West Water was fined almost £8 million for sewage pollution offences across Devon and Cornwall, including hundreds of illegal discharges affecting local waterways and beaches.

The four councillors said:

“People use North Cornwall’s beaches all year round, so why should water quality testing stop at the end of September?

“We’re taking practical action locally, working with Surfers Against Sewage and carrying out rapid water testing ourselves to build a clearer picture of pollution along our coastline.

“As local councillors, we’re determined to gather the evidence, give people better information and hold water companies to account. Our communities deserve clean, safe beaches all year round, and we’ll keep pushing for the action needed to make that happen.”

Ben Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, welcomed the councillors’ initiative. He said:

“I’m delighted to see our Liberal Democrat councillors leading the way on sewage pollution in North Cornwall. They’re taking action on the ground, gathering evidence and standing up for the communities and coastline they represent.

“Residents deserve better than a system where routine bathing water testing stops in September, even though people continue to use our beaches throughout the year. I’ll be raising this initiative in Parliament and exploring how this approach could be adopted more widely if successful.

“I’ll also shortly be bringing legislation before Parliament to push for prison sentences for water company executives who repeatedly commit serious offences. We must keep up the pressure for cleaner rivers, safer beaches and proper accountability from water companies.”