Revealed: Where families are too scared to swim in the sea this summer - as dog owners say they won't take their pets for a dip due to 'scandalous' sewage spills Do YOU still swim in the sea? Contact matt.drake@mailonline.co.
uk By Matt Drake Published: 05:11 EDT, 5 August 2024 | Updated: 05:17 EDT, 5 August 2024 e-mail 1 View comments Around 74 per cent of Britons who swim in the sea have stopped because of raw sewage dumped in the water. A Savanta survey commissioned by the Liberal Democrats also found 37 per cent of dog owners said they would not allow their pet to go into the water because of pollution. Meanwhile, 41 per cent said the crisis makes them less likely to let their pets in the water despite visiting beaches either often or sometimes in the summer months.
The Lib Dems have described the state of Britain's waterways as a 'national scandal'. Danny Chambers, MP for Winchester and qualified vet, told The Telegraph: 'The new Government must save our dogs from the sewage crisis. Total hours water companies in England leaked sewage into rivers, lakes and the sea in 2023 shown by the areas they cover Around 74 per cent of Britons who swim in the sea have stopped because of pollution (Stock image) Around 37 per cent of dog owners said they would not allow their pet to go into the water because of pollution (Stock image) Dirty brown water pouring out over the ground at a beach in Cornwall on Boxing Day 2023 Read More Windermere to wasteland: 'Millions of litres of raw sew.