Sewage: Tory Minister mocked for posing at ‘wild swimming’ area

A Tory minister has been lampooned after posing next to a muddy estuary – after it was designated an official “wild swimming” area.

It comes as UK’s new wild swimming spots fed by waterways in which sewage was dumped 457 times last year, the Lib Dems have said.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey shared a picture of herself standing next to the River Deben estuary in Suffolk.

It is one of four “designated bathing sites” announced by the Government, and comes amid widespread concerns about water pollution.

Dumped sewage

Comments were disabled on Ms Coffey’s post, which read: “4 new designated bathing sites confirmed today, including Waldringfield on the River Deben in Suffolk Coastal – the first estuary site.”

It comes as a pipe which dumped sewage into a Welsh river for more than 7,800 hours has been revealed as the worst location of 2022.

The pipe dumped waste for the equivalent of 325 days into the River Ogmore in Pontyrhyl, south Wales.

The top 10 worst offenders for sewage discharges are:

Station Row Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO), Bridgend – the Welsh Water-operated pipe spilled for 7,804.5 hours.
Bettws Road CSO, Bridgend – the Welsh Water-operated pipe spilled for 7,784.75 hours.
Plumbland Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), Cumbria – the United Utilities-operated pipe spilled for 6,896.2 hours.
Whissendine WWTW, Rutland – the Severn Trent Water-operated pipe spilled for 6,646.39 hours.
Dalderse WWTQ, Falkirk – the Scottish Water-operated pipe spilled for 6,010 hours.
St Paul’s Road CSO, Pretson – the United Utilities-operated pipe spilled for 5,582.23 hours.
Lune Street Pumping Station, Lancaster – the United Utilities-operated pipe spilled for 5,336.01 hours.
Kirk Brampton WWTW, Carlisle – the United Utilities-operated pipe spilled for 5,123.68 hours.
Biggar WWTW, South Lanarkshire – the Scottish Water-operated pipe spilled for 5,088 hours.
Ravenglass Sewage Treatment Work, Cumbria – the United Utilities-operated pipe spilled for 4,603.89 hours.

Reactions

1.

SEWAGE SECRETARY

🔴WATER FIRMS threaten to hike BILLS if made to clean up sewage in rivers

UNRELATED NEWS:

▪️Theresa Coffey and E-Coli

▪️Environment Secretary has river on her doorstep which is riddled with DEADLY bacteria.@openDemocracy

➡️https://t.co/33fcScEcZs pic.twitter.com/ub3JQWAHUA

— Britain People (@Britain_People) April 10, 2023

2.

Not taking a dip yourself? https://t.co/gpT3DjV5by

— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) April 10, 2023

3.

Is a safe bathing site equivalent to a new hospital?

— David of Nottingham (@DavidofNotting1) April 11, 2023

4.

What about it @theresecoffey please explain how the Secretary of state for the Environment can vote for this👇…….we're all waiting. https://t.co/cGQbdAcjhk pic.twitter.com/8mlHDVm7OF

— Mark🇪🇺💙🤘#ToriesOut #FBPE (@mh62rock) April 11, 2023

5.

"UK’s new wild swimming spots fed by waterways in which sewage was dumped 457 times last year".

Oh dear. Did no one bother to check? Well that's @DefraGovUK for you.https://t.co/xiwDWMlPTC

— Feargal Sharkey (@Feargal_Sharkey) April 11, 2023

6.

It'll be fine to swim in these locations, as long as you take the right precautions… pic.twitter.com/xbEPiiGzP7

— Charles Wheeler (@tweetcmw) April 11, 2023

7.

I'll just leave this here pic.twitter.com/p65lZgU8Qj

— Ian Charles (@ian_charles007) April 11, 2023

8.

pic.twitter.com/mVggV6WOId

— Michael Da Costa (@blueochre) April 11, 2023

9.

"More chance of being struck by lightning: Ofwat reveals just one fine for sewage leaks in nearly 30 years."

Yes, you've got a greater chance of being struck by lighting rather than being fined by @Ofwat

"Trebles all round".https://t.co/0zai5hjVWA

— Feargal Sharkey (@Feargal_Sharkey) April 11, 2023

Related: Will BBC mention B word? Charts show how UK economy to perform