Pembrokeshire protest demands action on sewage pollution

Residents, surfers, swimmers and environmental supporters all gathered at Broad Haven Beach on May 16 for a Surfers Against Sewage ‘Paddle Out Protest’ calling for urgent action on sewage pollution along the Pembrokeshire coastline.
The demonstration was once again organised amid growing public concern over repeated sewage discharges throughout the year into waters used daily by local communities, visitors, and marine wildlife.
Environmental campaigners are increasingly questioning whether repeated sewage discharges into protected marine conservation waters are compatible with UK environmental law, such as the UK Marine Strategy, conservation duties including marine licensing, and bathing water protections.
The waters surrounding Pembrokeshire include nationally and internationally protected habitats that support seabirds, marine life, intertidal ecosystems and fragile coastal habitats that should be safeguarded for future generations.
Organisers say the issue is no longer just about surfers.
“This is about everyone,” a spokesperson for Surfers Against Sewage said. “Children swim here. Families spend time here. People paddleboard, kayak and surf here all year round. Wildlife depends on these waters, and local businesses rely on a clean coastline.”
“People should not have to check sewage alerts before entering the sea.”
Campaigners argue that many members of the public mistakenly believe protected marine status automatically guarantees clean water, when in reality discharges and pollution incidents continue around coastlines across the UK.
They say decades of underinvestment in sewage infrastructure have left coastal communities and marine environments paying the price and it has left us wondering if this is actually fraud and negligence.
The protest called on the likes of the Welsh Government; Natural Resources Wales; Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water; along with local MPs and Senedd Members to commit to:
· Ending routine sewage discharges into bathing waters
· Greater transparency and real-time reporting
· Faster investment in sewage infrastructure
· Stronger legal protection for marine conservation areas
· Clear public accountability over pollution incidents
“This coastline is part of our identity,” organisers said. “People care deeply about these waters and want future generations to inherit a healthy marine environment.”
“They hope the protest will help spark wider national discussion around sewage pollution and environmental protection in Wales.
“If protected waters cannot be protected from sewage pollution, then what exactly does protection mean?”
South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell also spoke at the event, stating afterwards: “From raw sewage in our rivers to no-swim alerts at our beaches, our broken water system is putting public health, wildlife, tourism, and local businesses at risk.
“But today also showed something powerful: when people come together, change becomes impossible to ignore.
©Images: Paddle out Protest/Jody Cusack Media