More than 70 water users gathered at Sandown Bay at the weekend as part of the nationwide Surfers Against Sewage Paddle-Out Protests, which call for urgent reform of the UK’s broken water system.
On 16th May, surfers, swimmers, paddle boarders and kayakers stood together in solidarity to demand cleaner waters, an end to sewage pollution, and meaningful action to protect public health and the environment.
The Isle of Wight protest formed part of a coordinated national day of action involving more than 50 communities across the UK protesting against a water industry system that campaigners say is making people sick and destroying rivers, lakes and coastlines.
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Participants at Sandown Bay highlighted the growing concern from water-users among sewage discharges into bathing waters and the failure of current regulations to reflect how people actually use the sea.
Chani Courtney, Senior Communities Officer at Surfers Against Sewage, said:
“The Island stood up and spoke for our waters.
“The diversity of water users really highlights the need for all water users to count in designated bathing water sites.
“I hope the systems will shift to allow consistent investment for nature-based solutions for the Isle of Wight and all other 56 communities that took part yesterday.
“Thank you all so much.”
The Paddle-Out Protests come amid mounting public anger over sewage pollution and concerns over the effectiveness of government action with Surfers Against Sewage saying the current privatised water system is failing both people and the environment.
As previously
reported by Island Echo, a burst sewage main in the coastal town of East Cowes last week caused local gardens to be filled with raw sewage debris, leaving parts of Old Road and Millfield Road flooded with wastewater overnight.
Since then, a series of sewage leaks have seen the Isle of Wight Council warn the public to avoid swimming the bodies of water near their East Cowes and Cowes homes.
With the hope for some upcoming warmer weather across the nation, campaigners point to alarming statistics including more than 290,000 sewage discharges recorded in 2025 — equivalent to nearly 800 spills a day — alongside thousands of sickness reports linked to polluted waters.
Surfers Against Sewage is calling on the Government to:
Put public health before profit, end the current privatised water industry model, remove the profit motive from water companies, invest in long-term, nature-based solutions and strengthen protections for bathing waters and year-round water users.
The organisation says proposed reforms currently under consideration do not go far enough and that this moment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for transformational change.
The Sandown Bay turnout reflected growing public demand for cleaner seas and stronger accountability, with local communities making clear that no river, lake or coastline should be considered too polluted to protect.
Our water bills keep going up to pay for
Southern Waters incompetence!
Southern water don’t care they might have to actually update our water pipes with all their profits finally & actually treat the sewage before pumping out raw sewage in our waterways absolute national scandal.
Rather apt location for such a protest.