With UK sewage discharge scandals dominating the news , Kerry MacKay has some tips for divers to stay clear of unwelcome muck
ENVIRONMENT
Sewage safety for divers
With UK sewage discharge scandals dominating the news , Kerry MacKay has some tips for divers to stay clear of unwelcome muck
None of us want to swim in sewage . Unfortunately , many of us are facing this prospect or may have already done so unwittingly . Here are some key facts and tips to keep yourself safe .
Sewage pollution has been making a big splash in the news this year . It ’ s an ongoing problem that has been exacerbated by the government ’ s failure to improve regulations when they had the chance with the Water Quality ( Sewage Discharge ) Bill they debated earlier this year .
Frustratingly , our wastewater infrastructure is grossly inadequate , underfunded , and poorly regulated . Not to mention the scandalous fact that Water Companies paid out £ 965 million in shareholder dividends in 2022 rather than investing in better sewage management .
Sewage is everything we flush down the toilet or wash down the drain . It becomes pollution when it is released into the environment through sewer overflows or washes off the land and roads . Water companies are only legally permitted to use overflows to discharge untreated sewage in extreme weather events . A
Visible small-scale sewage pollution at dive site entry
“ This sewage pollution damages our beloved ocean ecosystems ”
restriction often conveniently overlooked by water companies , regulators , and successive governments .
Huge volumes of contaminated effluent and run-off mean the UK is ranked last in Europe for bathing water quality . Sewage was dumped into designated bathing water over 5,000 times during the 2022 bathing season ( 15 May to 30 September ).
This sewage pollution damages our beloved ocean ecosystems . Of particular interest to us divers are our kelp beds and seagrasses . Sewage pollution reduces the biodiversity we can enjoy seeing in these special habitats . Sewage pollution also reduces the ocean ’ s ability to store carbon , a particularly important ecosystem service these habitats provide in efforts to manage climate change .
A report by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health ( ECEHH ) highlighted that sea bathers in the UK remain just as likely to become ill from seawater as they were in the 1990s . Health risks can range from stomach upsets and ear and eye infections , to more serious issues like Hepatitis , lung infections and E . coli .
Here are a few tips to help you stay safe and well when diving :
■ Check your planned dive site for a sewage pollution alert . Surfers Against Sewage have a handy app you can download with a map of alerts . Look for “ Safer Seas & Rivers Service ” ( SSRC ) for Apple and Android . You can also find it online at https :// www . sas . org . uk / waterquality / sewage-pollution-alerts /
■ Try not to get any water in your mouth , eyes or nose . Easier said than done , I know ! Try putting your regulator in your mouth before it touches the water . Ensure you have a good-fitting mask that doesn ’ t leak . Avoid doing mask-clearing and reg retrieval drills if you suspect the water is contaminated .
■ Bring a bottle of safe tap water from home . Use this to rinse your mask before diving . Rinse all mouthpieces and your mask between dives . Give your face , hands and ears a good rinse after each dive .
■ Thoroughly rinse and dry all equipment after your day ’ s diving .
■ If you are concerned or think you regularly come into contact with sewagepolluted water , get vaccinated against Hepatitis A .
■ Campaign for better regulation . The easiest way to do this is to follow a group like Surfers Against Sewage and sign relevant petitions . Check them out at www . sas . org . uk
If you are unfortunate enough to get ill after a dive you need to please complete a BSAC Incident / Accident Report Form at bsac . com / incidentform . This will help BSAC build a picture as to how sewage pollution may be impacting divers ’ health .
Please also submit a sickness report to Surfers Against Sewage . This can be done at : sas . org . uk / water-quality / submita-sickness-report /. This will helps SAS provide evidence for how important an issue sewage pollution is .
If you spot sewage pollution be sure to report it to the Enviromnent Agengy : gov . uk / report-an-environmental-incident I hope this advice helps you avoid some nasty consequences if you are unlucky enough to plan a dive near a sewage outflow . Safe diving ! �
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