Overview
Alex will discuss why we should be concerned about sewage discharges locally into the Solent and nationally. He will also spotlight through a community funded citizen science project, the variety of chemical contaminants in our coastal water. The presentation will include some of the known impacts of chemical contaminants on marine life and highlight the misinformation/disinformation campaigns run by the water industries.
Lynn’s Review
I was very keen to hear Professor Alex Ford’s presentation to Science at Fishbourne this month, and I wasn’t disappointed. Coming so soon after Channel 4’s “Dirty Business,” series, Alex’s talk gave further insight into problems with the private Water Industry, with particular reference to Southern Water.
As Portsmouth University’s Marine Institute is on the shore of Langstone Harbour, Professor Ford gave much information on it. I looked up the status of Langstone Harbour directly after the talk, to refresh my memory: a special conservation area; a site of specific scientific interest; a Ramsar site. Here is the link I found. It says a lot!
https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/WaterBody/GB580705130000
I think we are all aware of the consequences of the 1989 privatisation of the Water Companies and Alex reminded us of Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher’s, words at the time:
“Privatised is a better deal than nationalised water. It will go very successfully indeed.”
Mrs Thatcher must have had great trust in businesses world-wide; that they would care for the people and for Britain’s environment. We now see differently. We are aware of companies buying, taking profits, then selling on our Water companies; we are aware that the name of the game is finance, and the TV series: “Dirty Business,” highlights ten years of research, fronted by two tenacious retirees, attempting to uncover the truth.
Alex explained that we are in a Triple Planetary Crisis: Climate Change; Pollution and Biodiversity loss. Britain is considered one of the most nature-depleted nations in the world, with only about 50% of its biodiversity remaining. Since June of last year, there is now a UN body dedicated to reporting on and managing chemical waste and pollution.
There are 150,000,000 chemicals registered as known (though not in everyday use), with a new chemical every 2.5 minutes. Of these, about 350,000 are registered for productive use, even though the consequences of many are unknown. Our population is growing and ageing and medicated. What goes in, must come out and we see the effects, as raw, and even treated, sewage is pumped into our waterways. Alex showed a graphic photo of raw sewage pumping into Langstone Harbour. Tens of thousands of hours of raw sewage have been dumped into Langstone Harbour alone, and 16.4 million hours of sewage around Britain between 2019 and 2024.
There have been many complaints, leading to various organisations asking for a change in the law. The Environmental Agency began investigating the situation in 2021, it has yet to publish its findings. Perhaps its funding from water companies has influenced this silence.
The Office of Environmental Protection now says that all water regulators have failed, despite this the Independent Commission, who recommend a complete overhaul of the situation, are not allowed to go for Nationalisation. Perhaps, the tremendous cost and amount of time needed to see any real progress would scupper any chances a political party have for re-election?
Professor Ford is researching the effect of chemicals/drugs/pollutants on sea life. He gave the example of the drug: “Diethylstilbestrol,” (a synthetic estrogen) given to women during pregnancy to help prevent miscarriages. This drug’s impact was shown in their children 14 years later: these teenagers were more likely to suffer from cancers; the grandchildren of these women would also suffer. Epigenetics is the name given to this study of how behaviour and environment can affect the way genes work.
Chemicals in plastics act like hormones, and research shows that boys born now, have half the sperm count of their grandfathers. There is also a rise in testicular and ovarian cancers; and more people are needing fertility treatments in order to conceive.
Alex, flagged Dr Shanna Swan’s investigations into urine samples found to display more endocrine disrupting plasticizers. The ill effects of these pollutants came to light 20 years later.
The paint used on the hulls of boats has impacted wildlife, as shown by studies in Portsmouth harbour.
Tributylin was widely used until 2008, when it was banned because of its toxicity and its affect upon sealife. Dredging in the harbour brought these pollutants to the surface resulting in feminisation of fish and shellfish. Anti fouling paint now contains Copper and zinc, which can also be harmful to marine life, particularly in harbours where many boats are moored.
Experiments with trout in rivers, downstream of sewage overflows saw similar effects because of this synthetic estrogen. In the 1990s, another experiment in Canada’s Lake 260, had compounds from the contraceptive pill added to the water to simulate a sewage spill. The impact upon male and female fish caused a population collapse.
Anti-depressants are taken by 1 in 10 people. Fish and invertebrates are affected by antidepressants in sewage, causing changes to survival; growth and morphology; behaviour, and reproduction.
Shrimps infected with a parasite that controls serotonin levels, move towards the light and are eaten by predators, so enabling the parasite to complete its life cycle. Antidepressants cause shrimps to display higher levels of serotonin, so mimicking the actions of the parasite and causing, often fatal changes in the behaviour of the shrimps.
Cuttlefish on Prozac, showed inability to memorise experiences, in contrast to the control. When presented with food in a sealed container, the control quickly abandoned attempts to eat the food at that time, and a month later. Those on Prozac retained no memory of their previous experience and again attempted to eat the food.
Help from Crowd funding and citizen science, raised £20,000 to fund a project. Water samples were collected on a stretch of the South Coast, after sewage discharges. Carbamazepine, a drug used in epilepsy, and bipolar disorders, was found in 100% of the samples; antidepressants in almost 100% of samples and cocaine in 15% of samples.
There are more sewage dumps in heavy rainfall and levels of chemicals go up 100-1000 times. There are more pesticides in March as crops begin to grow.
Records from water companies often show disinformation. High concentrations of pollutants were found when no spills were recorded.
Cocaine has been found in all species of sea life, even sharks in Brazil!
When the BBC aired a special broadcast from Langstone Harbour in 2022, Nine Water companies were investigated and 6000 possible dry spills were reported:
“BBC news has analysed spills from nine firms, which suggests sewage may have been discharged nearly 6,000 times when it had not been raining in 2022- including during the country’s heatwave.”
Professor Ford, has now, also, turned his attention to looking at methods used by water companies to give misinformation. He has discovered that companies use consultants, who offer methods such as: denial, disruption, distortion, domination, delay and other tactics to cast doubt on the science around sewage spills.
Southern Water recorded their discharges on a website called: “Beach Buoy.” This site no longer exists, but when Alex investigated it, he found it impossible to research properly as there were about 1.3 million rows of data. He did discover that Peel Common, near Fareham, had the worst discharge of 1,000,000 minutes!
Water UK, the trade association for the water industry states:
“We work with companies to help ensure that customers receive high quality tap water at a reasonable price and that our environment is protected and improved.”
"As they represent the privatised water industry, what they say is impacted by conflicts of interest"
There was a lively and interesting discussion after Alex’ excellent talk, as this is a subject of immense importance to all. If you haven’t watched channel 4’s docudrama: “Dirty Business,” it is well worth watching.
Anyone concerned about the impact of building on flood plains and building without the infrastructure to cope with sewage and even drinking water, may like to join SOSCA. Here is a link to their website https://www.sosca.org.uk/
I have also attached SOSCA’s latest bulletin separately here: SOSCA’s March 2026 bulletin. This is useful reading, with graphic photographs of Chichester sewage treatment works at Appuldram.
Here is a link to the Surfers Against Sewage app where you can see locations where sewage spills are active:
https://www.sas.org.uk/water-quality/sewage-pollution-alerts/safer-seas-rivers-service/