Brighton Swimmers Confront Rising Sewage Pollution

During a summer marked by record-breaking heatwaves, beachgoers across England have turned to coastal waters for relief. In Brighton, the surge in visitors has coincided with repeated sewage alerts, prompting local swimmers to question the safety of the sea. Community programmes such as “Pool to Pier,” which teaches pool swimmers to transition to open water, report growing hesitation among participants because of contamination fears.

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Long-time resident Jo Armstrong, 75, describes the situation as “extraordinary” after a recent rain triggered a sewage discharge that rendered nearby Seaford unsuitable for swimming. Hildi Mitchell, 55, who runs the “Pool to Pier” programme, notes that swimmers now check sewage alerts as routinely as weather forecasts. Greg Veros, 59, has shifted his daily routine from the sea to Brighton’s outdoor pool after falling ill from a suspected sewage exposure years ago. Anna Field, 54, emphasizes the emotional impact of losing reliable ocean access, likening it to being barred from a park on a rainy day.

The Guardian

Public monitoring records show that Brighton beach received two sewage alerts in August and a total of 158 alerts throughout 2025. These alerts are issued when water quality tests detect contamination levels that exceed safety thresholds for recreational use.

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With sea conditions increasingly unpredictable, local swimmers are turning to pools as a dependable alternative. The situation has sparked calls for more transparent reporting and infrastructure upgrades to prevent future discharges.

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• “There’s a tiny bit of rain and then the sewage comes, I just don’t understand it. It’s extraordinary that we can’t have clean beaches,” — Armstrong. This

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• “I would love to be able to swim anywhere, rather than thinking about trying to avoid pollution,” — Hildi Mitchell

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• “I’m an enthusiastic swimmer, I can’t get enough of it,” — Greg Veros

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• “It’s about freedom. You’re not constrained by the black line on the pool. Nobody’s in your lane, you’re not worried about getting in anyone’s way. It’s a place where you can just swim in the way you want to swim,” — Hildi Mitchell

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• “I absolutely love being in the ocean. It’s got its own personality, you look out of the window in the morning and it’s a different colour from yesterday or on some days it will tell you, no, you’re not coming in today,” — Anna Field

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