Frustrated open water swimmers are calling on the British government to take immediate action to address the ongoing sewage crisis in British waters, after completing a 124 mile relay along the River Thames.
Athletes supported by the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) campaigning charity set off from Gloucestershire in England on Monday, September 1, and swam, relay-style, to Teddington Lock, which they reached on Thursday, September 4. Participants then travelled, by boat, to the heart of Government in Westminster, where they urged lawmakers to take immediate action to protect Britain's rivers, lakes, and seas.
The stunt was part of a greater campaign of public pressure from the charity, which is up in arms about government inaction over what they describe as a "national scandal".
"This isn’t just dirty water. It’s a national scandal. Water companies are prioritising profit over their duty to protect people and planet," SAS said in a statement.
"Right now, government is reviewing the very regulations meant to protect our waters. But the proposals on the table fall massively short - and could even weaken protections.
"Our message is clear: tinkering around the edges won’t cut it. To end the sewage scandal, we need reform - a water system that works for people and planet, not profit and power."
During the swim, participants braved challenging swimming conditions and were even forced out of the water at some points.
The SAS said the relay team were "swimming through darkness, battling exhaustion, pushing through aching muscles and the inevitable dodgy stomachs that come with swimming in filthy water."
"Along the route at Slough, Henley and Marlow, the swimmers were forced to halt as we spotted CSOs [combined sewer overflows] spewing raw sewage on our live map."
Water pollution in Britain
Dangerous levels of pollution have become commonplace in Britain's rivers, lakes, and seas, prompting national outrage and widespread concern from the open water swimmers who frequent them.
Along with the excessive use of fertilizer and pesticides, waterways are heavily polluted by the billions of gallons of untreated sewage released by water management companies each year.
Pollution in the Thames is particularly bad. In June 2024, at least 35 competitors experienced sickness after swimming in the Berkshire stretch of the river as part of the Royal Windsor Triathlon.
- The best changing robes: cocoon yourself post-swim in a protective layer
- The best water shoes: fast-draining, quick-drying and ready to take you from the shore to the sea
