Video attacking Southern Water for Solent sewage dumping to be shown in Guildhall Square by Youth Cabinet

The Portsmouth Youth Cabinet have launched a new campaign, ‘SOS Save Our Solent,’ aiming to combat the issue of raw sewage dumping into south coast waters.

A video will be released specifically targeting Southern Water's practices at the Final Straw Foundation's Summer Youth Eco Conference on Tuesday, June 13. Footage will also be played on the Guildhall Big Screen for two weeks from June 8.

The campaign has been funded by Save The Children UK as part of the charity’s Great Big Green Week.

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Jude Leaves, a member of the Portsmouth Youth Cabinet, said: ‘We represent all young people in the city, amplifying their voices and working with decision makers to drive positive change. Climate change has always been a priority for the young people and the urgency to act has become more apparent than ever.

‘Not only is our opportunity to swim in the sea on the line, but so is our ecosystems, our wildlife, and our future. We can’t wait to premiere the video at the conference and hold Southern Water to account to improve the futures of all young people.’

Southern Water, one of the major water and wastewater utility companies in the region, has come under much scrutiny in recent years for its dumping of raw sewage into the Solent.

In 2021, the firm was fined a record £90 million after pleading guilty to deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the rivers and coastal waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex.

The Portsmouth Youth Cabinet’s campaign comes in association with Engendering Change and the Final Straw Foundation.

A Youth Cabinet spokesperson said: ‘Dumping raw sewage into the Solent has severe consequences for both the environment and public health. The Solent, a vital coastal area renowned for its diverse marine life, including endangered species such as seahorses, is being devastated by the constant influx of raw sewage.

‘The discharge introduces harmful pollutants, excessive nutrients, and pathogens into the water, leading to the contamination of beaches, destruction of aquatic habitats, and the decline of marine biodiversity.

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‘It also poses health risks to humans, as shellfish could be contaminated with E-Coli and ingesting seawater containing raw sewage could result in serious health problems, including gastroenteritis or even Hepatitis.’

The Youth Cabinet’s educational video will showcase the harm that dumping sewage causes and will set out their appeal to Southern Water to urge them to rectify the issue to ensure them a healthier and cleaner future. Children from dozens of schools across the city and beyond are set to attend the conference.

Last month, Southern Water joined other Water UK members in apologising for ‘not acting quickly enough’ in preventing sewage spills. In a statement, CEO of Southern Water Lawrence Gosden said: ‘I am completely supportive of the Water UK announcement today, committing to system-wide action and investment of £10 billion on storm overflows and apologise that action was not taken sooner on sewage spills in the south east.

‘At Southern Water, we’re already working to reduce the number of storm overflows, investing significant money to build bigger infrastructure and redesign a legacy Victorian sewer system, as well as using innovative technology and natural solutions.’