“It’s frankly disgusting": 500 hours of raw sewage spills into Barcombe Mills in 2021

Nearly 500 hours of sewage spills took place directly into Barcombe Mills in 2021, according to new data from the Environment Agency (EA).

The annual publication of this data is provided by Southern Water and other wastewater companies to the EA.

Southern Water said this data shows storm water releases made to protect homes and schools from flooding and are how the system was designed.

Greater public awareness has made the system an issue of public concern and yesterday the government started a consultation on reducing the use of the system. The Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Lewes, James MacCleary, has criticised the Conservatives’ inaction on the issues, and their blocking of opposition attempts to clean up rivers.

Mr MacCleary said: “This really should be the final straw, and Conservatives, including local MP Maria Caulfield, should do the easy thing and support the action we all want to see taken to stop raw sewage being dumped directly into the River Ouse.

“It’s frankly disgusting to think about the sheer scale of what is being pumped into our local environment. I was recently at Barcombe Mills and the scale of the problem was very clear to anyone with a nose."

According to data released this week, the reserve's wastewater site – known as the Barcombe New Sewage Treatment Works – spilled raw sewage into the Bevern Stream.

This stream joined the Ouse, located just upstream of the main family swimming spot at Barcombe Mills, 62 times in 2021. This means untreated sewage was flowing into the stream for a total of nearly 500 hours last year.

Brian Schofield, local kayaker and campaigner, said: "As summer approaches, it's so disheartening to learn that Southern Water continues to pollute our local waterways so routinely. I know many families who have given up wild swimming in the upper Ouse. Last summer, a group of 19 children swam in the river on a camping weekend in Barcombe.

"Eight of the kids missed school the following Monday with nausea and illness. Southern Water made profits of £138m last year. Surely they can spare the funds to properly invest in these treatment plants and put a stop to these spills forever."

The data also revealed several other sites of sewage leaks into East Sussex water last year.

At Newhaven, 325.89 hours of time and 88 releases were reported into the English Channel, potentially impacting swimmers in Seaford Bay.

At Ham Lane in Lewes, 437 hours and 61 releases were reported; and at Neaves Lane Ringmer, 895 hours and 68 releases were reported.

Southern Water said: “We have led the industry in the roll-out of monitoring and make all of our data openly and transparently available on our website. Our 365 days a year our near real time Beachbuoy app notifies recreational water users of any release.

"We understand public concern over storm releases and we are pressing ahead with a UK first programme to cut storm releases by 80 per cent by 2030.

"Massive improvements to bathing waters over the last 30 years have been a major boost to regional economies around our 700 miles of coastline and working in partnership with councils, NGOs and developers we are taking the next leap in improving water quality and protecting habitats.”

Liberal Democrats are campaigning for protection of Barcombe Mills by applying bathing status.

Under bathing status designation, rivers are subject to the same testing as seaside swimming spots.

Nationally, other rivers have already been given this status, including the part of the River Wharfe that flows through Ilkley, and others are in review such as Port Meadow in Oxford.

Mr MacCleary said: "Sadly, we have seen time and again that Maria Caulfield always puts loyalty to her party ahead of the needs of her constituents. If she cared about our community at all, she would press her fellow government ministers to rein in the water companies who are making large profits from contaminating our local rivers and sea. Instead, we will just get more empty words and no action. No wonder people are so fed up with this government.”

Southern Water and Maria Caulfield have been approached for a comment.

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