Outrage as people spot raw sewage being pumped into the sea near Seaford beach

Footage was posted on Twitter of storm sewage being discharged by Southern Water from a sewer overflow – only metres away from Seaford beach – between 8:32am and 10:30am on Tuesday (August 16).

Many were upset by the images as the area in question is a marine protected area – which hundreds of people use to swim in the sea over the summer months.

The film has been described as a ‘new low’ by Lewes District councillor Matthew Bird.

Councillor Bird 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.”

Many other south coast beaches were off limits yesterday due to Southern Water sewage discharges.

The water supplier 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 its network.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: “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.”

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James MacCleary, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Lewes, called for the government to ban water companies from paying their executives ‘eye-watering bonuses’ until the sewage dumping stops.

Mr MacCleary: tweeted: “Raw sewage pumped into the sea at Seaford today. Tories are letting the water companies get away with this.”

British psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry tweeted: "Appalled and saddened at this. It was my favourite place to swim.”