Leeds dips a toe in the water to join with sewage protest

Surfers, swimmers, kayakers and bathers will gather in Granary Wharf on Saturday as part of a national campaign for water industry reform.

- by Jennifer Cartwright

The Paddle-Out Protests, co-ordinated by campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, will see thousands protest across the UK against sewage pollution.

In 2024, Yorkshire Water had 68,164 monitored sewage spills, the second-highest figure among water companies in England, and sewage was spilled into Yorkshire waterways for a total of 430,263 hours.

Paddle-Out protesters want a complete reform of the privatised water sector in England and Wales and clearer monitoring and transparency of the sewage crisis in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

They demand that protection of public health and the environment should be prioritised ahead of profit.

Giles Bristow, CEO at Surfers Against Sewage described the UK's water companies as "shameless" and said that we are experiencing a "sewage scandal".