Sewage discharge figures make for a grim read but campaigners are to be applauded
Few issues invoke the ire of Yorkshire’s public than the discharge of sewage into the region’s waterways. That anger is particularly acute when the discharges affect bathing waters. The proud people in Yorkshire are rightly protective of the outstanding natural beauty in the region.
And the latest figures from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are grim. The charity found that Yorkshire Water spilled sewage for over 9,700 hours across the summer. Of which, sewage was spilled for 162 hours into designated bathing waters – places officially deemed safe for swimming.
The recent August Bank Holiday alone saw sewage discharged for 3,687 hours – with 127 hours into designated bathing areas.
This is simply not acceptable by any measure. If anything, it brings into focus the scale of the challenge facing companies like Yorkshire Water.
The firm’s acceptance earlier this year that it has made mistakes was a welcome first step and improvements cannot come fast enough.
While the focus is around the current predicament that the country faces when it comes to its water network, those involved with the likes of Surfers Against Sewage deserve praise.
Rather than standing by, they are leading a fight for the environment, for clean water and for future generations to live a better quality of life than water companies are subjecting people to currently.
If the idea of custodianship was more prevalent then the world would be a far better place.
It starts with small acts such as taking litter home and ends with the protests such as those organised by SAS.