00:00Last year, raw sewage was dumped into UK waterways almost a million times.
00:05Surfers Against Sewage reported that in 2024 they received 1,853 sickness reports
00:12because of infected water, reflecting nearly half a million pounds in lost productivity
00:17due to sick days taken. But pollution has an impact not only on the economy,
00:22but for nature and people's wellbeing. Sandgate Beach here in Folkestone is set
00:27to become one of the UK's newest bathing spots. Should beaches really be ruled in as safe
00:31rather than being ruled out as unsafe? I've grown up in Sandgate and I've always been in the sea,
00:38loved the water. I just started swimming every single day since 2019 and then in 2021 I started
00:45a swim coaching business. I suffered a lot with anxiety years ago and since going in here every
00:51day I've become much more calmer. The label of designated bathing spot essentially means the
00:56waterway will receive regular quality testing throughout the bathing season which is May
01:00through to September. Sandgate Beach is the only beach in Kent set to become a new designated bathing
01:05spot. You know that huge amount of awareness and publicity has brought this to fruition and I
01:13think that's huge. But I think there's still, I think there's still a gap between policy and real
01:20world experience because I think people are still having to cancel their swims and change
01:25their routines and it has a massive impact on people's health and wellbeing. I've seen a real
01:29growth in open water swimming. You know it wasn't a thing that people did really before the pandemic
01:35and it has grown so much. But I've seen the numbers decreasing in the last couple of years since
01:41the awareness has been brought up which has been wonderful but it's certainly put people off going in
01:46the water. The Environment Agency say the consultation comes alongside reform of the water system
01:51with the Water Special Measures Act introducing tougher enforcement powers. That includes criminal
01:57liability for water bosses who cover up illegal sewage spills and the power to block bonuses. Last year
02:03four million pounds of bonuses were prevented from reaching bosses' pockets. More needs to be done to
02:09clean up our waterways. A total transformation of the system, of the water system, needs to be implemented.
02:15Currently the government and their recent white paper isn't doing enough to do that, especially in
02:20relation to public health. We need a regulator that enforces the law. Swimming in our rivers, lakes or
02:26beaches is so proven to be good for our physical and mental health. It's also in terms of those
02:33seaside towns, it's great for the local economy. So having clean water benefits people, business
02:41and just, you know, nature. I think the knock-on effects of more bathing waters, there'll be co-benefits
02:46to cleaning up our waterways to improve the environment and nature as well. Back on the beach,
02:53Kirsty kindly offered to coach me to become a sea swimmer, but I think it's a little bit too chilly
02:58for me to get my costume on just yet. Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Sandgate.
03:03No, no, no, no, no. Not for me.
03:06No, no, no, no, no, no.
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