WATCH: Twitter Video Appears To Show Raw Sewage Pumped Into Sea At Seaford Beach

A Cabinet councillor has condemned Southern Water after a video appeared on Twitter yesterday showing what looked like raw sewage being pumped into the sea just yards from busy beaches in Seaford.

Martyn Craddock's video has now been viewed almost 100,000 times since he posted it and Twitter users were not impressed, including Lewes councillor Matthew Bird, who also commented on the footage.

Raw sewage pumped into sea today at Seaford, E. Sussex after storm. Yep…that’s a Marine Protected Area. 1000s swimming here just yesterday. Horrendous. ⁦⁦@sascampaigns⁩ @SouthernWater⁩ ⁦@mariacaulfield⁩ ⁦@sussex_bythesea⁩ pic.twitter.com/93QjK6Ib5r

— martyn craddock (@craddock1970) August 16, 2022

He described the film of the sewage being discharged in waters where hundreds of families have been swimming, as a ‘new low’.

Mr Bird, the Cabinet Member for Sustainability at Lewes District Council, said:

“To see these sewage discharges into our seas, especially at time when many swimmers are taking to the water, is truly shocking and disheartening.

“Discharges are only supposed to take place after storm events and only because our water infrastructure is not fit for purpose.

“Like hundreds of other residents in the district, I swim regularly at Seaford and it is simply wrong that we should have to gamble with our health because of a lack of investment by Southern Water.

“Even by the miserably poor standards that Southern Water are infamous for, this is a new low.” 

Lewes District Council has supported two motions on water quality in the last 18 months.

Councillor Bird added:

“Despite continuing to pump raw sewage into the sea and our rivers, we have had little response from Southern Water as to how it intends to clean up its act.

“Following our repeated requests, I understand Southern Water will at long last attend a meeting of the council’s Policy and Performance Advisory Committee in November.

“I also encourage everyone to send their thoughts and feelings on this latest pollution discharge to Southern Water and their MP.”

Southern Water is consulting on its Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans currently till September 5^th.

Southern Water responded to the video on Twitter, saying: 

We’ve carried out investigations, which have shown our nearby pumping station working as it should. This release is from surface water run-off following the heavy rain. During heavy rain, after an extended dry period, this run-off can pick up debris and silt from our network, which can lead to discolouration. More info and how to report any concerns can be found on our website.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said:

“Yesterday’s thunder storms brought heavy rain which fell onto parched ground and couldn’t absorb surface run-off, meaning that more rain than usual overwhelmed our network. This led to some overflows – which are used to protect homes, schools, businesses and hospitals from flooding – spilling excess water into the sea in parts of west Sussex, including Seaford. These discharges are heavily diluted and typically 95 per cent of them are rainwater.

“We are dedicated to significantly reducing storm overflows and are running innovative pilot schemes across the region to reduce the amount of rainfall entering our combined sewers by 2030.”