Analysis by www.sewagemap.co.uk showing how sewage was discharged into the river Brede for 17 hours on the Thursday before the August bank holiday is being disputed by Southern Water. The water company says the figure is wrong and the actual spill time is 69 minutes.
The website, which uses data from water companies, shows Southern Water releasing sewage into the river at the bottom of Ferry Hill in Winchelsea between 8am on Thursday 27 August and 1am the following morning – a day with just 1mm of rain towards the end of the last heatwave. More sewage was also released at the same time into the Pannel Valley waterway further upstream.
A spokesperson for Southern Water said the cause of an incorrect reading may be faulty sensors or IT glitches. “Rainfall in August resulted in this storm overflow release which activated as intended to protect homes, schools and businesses from flooding. Hardened ground caused by the hot, dry summer is less able to absorb water, meaning that large volumes of rainfall instead flood directly into the combined sewer system, increasing pressure on the network and resulting in storm overflow releases.”
This week has seen more sewage released into all the local rivers after heavy rain on Tuesday 8 September. A lengthy discharge, of over 24 hours, is being reported by www.sewagemap.co.uk at the Marsham Sewer, which runs into the River Brede.
In 2025 the River Brede was polluted by sewage 165 times lasting a total of 1596 hours, according to the Top-of-the-poops.org website. In Rye town centre there were 248 incidents lasting 616 hours.
Dr Claire Bayntun, who lives next to the river, said, “The Brede is rich in wildlife diversity – these recent sewage discharges must be prevented from damaging this beautiful habitat in the future.” She samples the water quality on the Brede as part Community River Watch – Rother.
The news comes as a petition signed by over 330,000 people was handed in at 10 Downing Street demanding more action on water pollution, in particular the sewage pumped into the sea.
Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore presented the petition working with pressure group Surfers Against Sewage.
The MP has been heavily critical of Southern Water which she says is responsible for repeated sewage dumping in the sea near popular bathing sites locally. “Southern Water’s destruction of our way of life as a seaside community should never have been allowed to happen. Just recently they began pumping sewage into our sea (at St Leonards’) after 60 days of drought. Enough is enough. We must put people before profit and bring water under public control.”
Giles Bristown, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said, “Andy Burnham must take back control and restructure the sector so that it operates for people and planet, not greedy shareholders. With bold decision-making and action from our government, we can build a water industry that operates for public good and that restores the places we love to swim, surf and play in.”
Southern Water said,”We’re working hard to reduce our reliance on overflow releases through our £1.5 billion Clean Rivers and Seas Plan, which includes more than £340m allocated specifically to Sussex.”
Image Credits: Claire Bayntun , Sewagemap.co.uk , sewagemap.co.uk , Lee Thomas .
We all enjoyed swimming in the brede until this summer when it was evident that it was not healthy to do so , along with the avian botulism that killed hundreds of birds was this caused by the heat wave or the discharge ? But some one must be made accountable, our lock keeper John is very knowledgeable but his bosses don’t seem to have much time to listen to him perhaps they should .
Cause of the Outbreak of The Toxin:
The disease is caused by a natural toxin produced by bacteria (Clostridium botulinum) in warm weather. [1] (https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/articles/suspected-avian-botulism-outbreak/), [2] (https://www.ryenews.org.uk/news/dead-birds-at-rye-harbour-nature-reserve)
Weather Conditions: Recent hot and dry weather lowered water levels significantly, creating shallow, warm pools where the bacteria and toxin can thrive.
Nothing to do with wastewater discharges.
You can check the various outfalls here:
https://riversandseaswatch.southernwater.co.uk/release-history/?Outfall=WINCHELSEA%20ROAD%20RYE%20B
From it you’ll see that there have been five discharges, one under dispute, so far this year compared to around 15 genuine last year. So, hopefully, something is working.
Southern Water has a lot to answer for but it’s spurious to keep blaming shareholders – SW have paid no dividends for the last 9 years. Privatising the water industry with all its complexities was never going to work and building more (necessary) housing without first strengthening the infrastructure is only making things worse. Many waste water treatment plants were built to cope with a third or less of the houses now discharging waste into the system. I believe the last time Rye’s drainage systems were substantially upgraded from the Victorian installations was 1963 – happy to be corrected of course
Absolutely correct.
At present Southern Water are spending tens of £millions upgrading the wastewater handling from Fairlight onwards to Rye Harbour. Lots done, Fairlight has stopped having manholes overflowing every time we have heavy rain. In the past we had sewage contaminated wastewater flowing down Lower Waites Lane on a regular basis.
It’s a long job and incredibly expensive mostly down to the decades of neglect while water was nationalised.
Big thanks to Dr Claire Bayntun for your expertise, & for taking water samples of the beautiful Brede for Community River Watch – Rother. Heartbreaking to witness habitat being polluted this way.