Sewage spill at West Country beach sparks anger at water company

A sewage spill at Uphill Beach, near Weston-super-Mare, has sparked anger among local officials and residents, with calls for greater accountability from water companies.

The leak, caused by a burst temporary pipe following heavy rainfall, resulted in raw sewage entering the sea and damaging the beach’s entrance.

Councillor Mike Bell, leader of the Liberal Democrats on North Somerset Council, criticised Wessex Water’s handling of the incident. He said: “I am disappointed that Wessex Water have failed to effectively communicate what has been going on around a sewage leak and discharge on Uphill Beach. Come on Wessex, own up when things go wrong and tell us what you are doing about it."

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The temporary pipe, installed in December after a permanent sewer pipe under the sand dunes developed a leak, was overwhelmed by surface water from heavy rainfall over the weekend, resulting in the spill. Wessex Water has since repaired the pipe and closed the beach’s road access while repairs to the damaged causeway are underway.

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A spokesperson for Wessex Water described the event as regrettable. They said: "Our temporary above-ground sewer pipe at Uphill suffered a failure due to stormy weather on January 5. Regrettably, this resulted in sewage entering the sea and erosion of the causeway used to access the beach.

“The pipe has now been repaired and we are working closely with North Somerset Council and the Environment Agency to ensure the area is made safe again and to repair the damaged causeway, which we have temporarily closed. We’re sorry for any inconvenience and upset caused by this incident.”

Despite these reassurances, Councillor Bell emphasised the broader implications of the incident. “This was hopefully a one-off incident and not planned, of course. But it emphasises the need for change. Sewage pipes shouldn’t be running along our beaches. Storm overflows shouldn’t be discharging untreated sewage into our rivers and seas,” he said.

The local council has been collaborating with volunteers, the Environment Agency, and water companies to improve water quality along the coastline. Cllr Bell, however, noted that these efforts are only as effective as the cooperation of water and sewage companies, criticising Wessex Water for its lack of transparency.

“At a time when scrutiny of water and waste companies is sky high – rightly – they need to be open and honest about what is going on,” he added.

“I am pleased that Wessex Water have repaired the leak and are making good progress today in repairing and restoring the beach entrance following the incident at the weekend. The area remains very wet and further poor weather is forecast so it may be a few days before the beach access can be reopened.”