A COUNCIL has launched a campaign for a section of its beach to receive national recognition to “put pressure” on water companies to stop “indefensible” sewage releases into the sea.
Worthing Borough Council plans to ask the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to designate a section of coast next to Beach House Park as a bathing water, if the public supports the idea.
Designated bathing water status means the Environment Agency has a duty to test the water quality to determine whether bacteria including E. Coli and intestinal enterococci is present.
Areas with designated bathing waters must also display information about water quality and sources of pollution during the bathing season, from May to September.
In Worthing, there is currently only one designated bathing area, which is south of Heene Terrace.
Whereas Southwick, Shoreham Beach and Lancing all have designated bathing waters.
The move comes after recent controversy following sewage releases at 13 beaches across Sussex last week because of heavy rain.
Councillor Vicki Wells, Worthing's cabinet member for the environment, said the releases were “indefensible” and “unacceptable”.
“Our coastline is a treasure for all to enjoy" she said.
"Understanding the water quality is instrumental to ensuring the sea at Worthing is as clean as it could and ought to be.
“Indefensible releases of sewage with harmful bacteria and other pollutants into this environment is completely unacceptable in the 21st century.
“Decades of underinvestment in the infrastructure of water utilities, and an Environment Act that doesn't hold polluting water companies to account, means that the monitoring of these waterways is more important than ever.
“Gaining bathing water designation at Beach House Park will bring new focus and a new commitment to improve our water quality, and I look forward to working with the Environment Agency and Southern Water to make sure this is achieved.”
In order for Worthing Borough Council’s bid to succeed, the council must demonstrate to Defra that the sea off the stretch of beach from York Road to The Esplanade is well used by bathers, paddlers and water sports users such as paddle boarders.
The council must also be able to show there is public support for designation as bathing water.
Volunteers have been assisting in the effort to collect the data needed.
Members of Worthing Sea Sploshers and students from St Oscar Romero Catholic School have been recording the number of people using the sea at the proposed locations for bathing water status.
In addition, the council has launched a four-week consultation to encourage people to have their say on the plans, which closes on Tuesday, September 20.
A Southern Water spokeswoman said storm overflows were necessary during periods of heavy rain to prevent flooding and that discharges are “heavily diluted” and are “typically 95 per cent rainwater”.
“We are dedicated to significantly reducing storm overflows and are running innovative pilot schemes across the region to reduce the amount of rainfall entering our combined sewers by 2030,” she said.
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