Crowds of protestors will take to a Pembrokeshire beach this Saturday to say “enough is enough, cut the crap!”

Community members and beach users are taking part in the national ‘Surfers Against Sewage’ protests to stand up for their rights to clean water with a ‘Paddle out Protest’ taking place on Saturday, May 18 at Broad Haven.

In 2023, North and West Pembrokeshire was polluted by sewage 7,659 times lasting 91,401 hours - but monitoring was disabled in some locations, so it is likely even more!

Protecting water quality has been at the heart of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) since 1990 because water companies are continuing to dump a toxic chemical cocktail of untreated sewage agriculture pollution, contaminants from roads, household chemicals and rainwater into our waterways.

Sewage pollution has a devastating impact on both human health and destroying vital ecosystems that support life on earth.

Large numbers of people, adults and children, are expected to come down and support the event including swimmers, paddlers, surfers, kayakers, paddle boarders, wing foilers, beach goers, coasteering companies, divers and lifeguards.

This issue impacts on so many people in St. Brides Bay - which is a Marine Special Area of Conservation, and across Pembrokeshire that together make up a formidable voice that can no longer be ignored.

2024 is hoped to be the year for change and these ‘Paddle Out Protests’ will highlight this.

With a general election likely to happen, there is a real opportunity to build on the momentum and public outrage over sewage pollution from last year.

2024 is also the year that water companies and regulators are setting out their investment plans for the next five years (2025-2030) which means it is the perfect time to ramp up the pressure.

In June 2024 Ofwat will publish their ‘draft determinations’ on the business plans of water companies in England and Wales; in December 2024, their ‘final determinations’ will be published.

SAS has created the End Sewage Pollution Manifesto which has five very clear, key solutions to end sewage pollution and if the next Government adopt their demands and give them their full backing, we will be well on the way to ending the sewage crisis that plagues the UK.

“If you would like to come and apply ongoing pressure to Welsh Water to stay on track with their PR24 plans, you will be helping to end sewage discharges into the Havens bathing waters by 2030 and be a part of creating systemic change,” said one of the organisers.

“Protestors will paddle out across Broad Haven Beach demonstrating to the Government, the water companies and the regulators that they will not stop until we see an end to sewage pollution.”

The protest is being held at 12pm on Saturday at the Galleon end of the beach, Broad Haven, SA62 3JW what3words https://w3w.co/tadpoles.rules.sunset