As we reach the summer months, people all across the country will be heading off to our waterways. The promise of cool waters beckoning us to nearby riversides and coastlines on those scorching sun-filled days we get each year.

But what are we greeted with when we get there? Human effluent, agricultural run-off, industrial waste. In short, sewage. It’s absolutely disgusting, we’re sure you agree. And without bathing water status, our waters will continue to go unmonitored and unimproved.

The state of play

Last year, Ocean Activists were successful in pressuring the government to increase the regulation on sewage pollution in the Environment Act – tens of thousands of you emailed your MP with disdain at the quality of our waterways and the actions of water companies, thank you.

One of the results of this successful campaign action was a commitment for government to produce a Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan. We’ve now seen it and, unsurprisingly, it’s not up to standard. We’ve made sure to let government know this in our consultation response but now we need you to raise your voice too. 

Whilst they deal with our feedback, you can show that including a target for official river bathing designations – one of the demands in our consultation response – is a must. Help us get 40,000+ signatures on our rivers petition to show that you won’t stand by while the government tries to push through a weak, ineffective plan.

Power in numbers

Our petition demands bathing water status for 200 rivers, which would in turn give us access to regular water quality monitoring and would help hold polluting industries accountable. 

Because we know that the UK’s rivers are in a critical state, at the risk of environmental collapse and posing a serious threat to human health. Build ups of agricultural runoff, highway drains, and sewage pollution pour into these blue arteries of our country, unmonitored, denying us the evidence we need to force change.

There is huge power in numbers, and we would be grateful to have you standing with us on this. As Ocean Activists, we acknowledge the role of rivers in feeding the ocean, and that all our blue spaces hold great value.  

Will you sign our petition to help improve the government’s sewage action plan and clean up our waters? 

YES, I’LL SIGN AND STAND UP FOR RIVERS AND THE OCEAN