Brighton swimmers protest sewage pollution as water quality alarms rise

Checking for sewage spills has become almost routine for swimmers at Brighton beach in East Sussex, as pollution concerns grow following repeated discharges from water companies across southern England. Friends of the Earth recently ranked South West Water as having the worst environmental record among England’s water utilities, highlighting ongoing issues with sewage overflows that affect coastal areas like Brighton and nearby Seaford. Over the past week, local swimmers report that pollution has made some nearby beaches unsafe, forcing them to rely on Brighton’s shoreline, which has seen 158 sewage alerts so far in 2025.

Jo Armstrong, a 75-year-old swimmer from Lewes, usually swims daily in Seaford but has been unable to do so recently due to pollution. “Brighton beach was the only place that stayed clean,” she says. Like many others, Armstrong has noticed a pattern: even light rain triggers sewage discharges. “There’s a tiny bit of rain and then the sewage comes. It’s extraordinary that we can’t have clean beaches.”

Hildi Mitchell, 55, runs Pool to Pier, a Brighton-based programme that teaches pool swimmers to swim safely in open water. She says pollution is increasingly deterring people from venturing into the sea. “There are swimmers who have trained with us all year but won’t go into the sea in summer because they’re worried about getting sick,” she says. For Mitchell, checking for sewage alerts is now as routine as checking the weather.

Greg Veros, 59, has swum in Brighton for 22 years but now avoids the sea after falling ill, likely due to sewage pollution. He now swims at Brighton’s outdoor pool instead. “I’m an enthusiastic swimmer,” he says. “The pool has been the best thing to happen to Brighton for me.”

Anna Field, 54, moved to Brighton specifically to swim regularly. She says foul smells have lessened this summer due to dry weather, but sewage pollution still disrupts her routine. “It’s a bit like not being able to walk in the park because it’s raining,” she says. “Except with this, you feel people are to blame.”

Local activists and swimmers agree that accessible, clean seawater is vital for public health and community wellbeing. While outdoor pools offer an alternative, many insist that swimming in the sea provides a freedom and connection to nature that pools cannot replicate.

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