Extinction Rebellion take action in Barnstaple

Activists from Extinction Rebellion North Devon have staged a protest in Barnstaple against sewage discharges in local rivers and the sea.

The group were at Barnstaple quayside on Saturday, April 27, where they sat on toilets holding spoof newspapers. 

Jill Apperley, who was at the event, said: “We wanted to grab people’s attention and send a clear message to South West Water and the Government that our beautiful seas, rivers and waterways are turning into open sewers and more must be done. 

“Local people feel very strongly about this issue and we have had a lot of supportive comments today. Over a year ago more than 170 people from 27 organisations took part in a march in Barnstaple and sadly, not much has changed since then. There are still disgraceful amounts of sewage discharges into our rivers and onto our beaches.”

The demonstration was then repeated by the group at Instow and Bideford Quay.

The group said that while they were at Instow, holidaymakers expressed their concern that it is now considered unsafe to enter the water. 

According to Extinction Rebellion, there are permanent signs on the quayside informing visitors that Instow is no longer designated as a bathing place as contamination makes it unfeasible to meet the minimum legally required bathing water quality standard at this location. 

ABOVE: The warning sign at Instow

Another protester, Shona Davis, said: “In 2022 sewage was discharged into UK waterways 1,091 times a day! It’s an unbelievable amount. Yet during the same period water companies paid shareholders £1.4 billion!”

Councillor Lucinda Renshaw, who represents the Instow ward, said: “Sadly, the water quality has always been a problem.  My husband, who has lived in Instow for most of his life, told me that the quality of the water is much worse after heavy rain and storms, as the run-off from farmland enters the estuary.  But on the other hand, it is infinitely better than in the 1970s, when there was very obviously excrement floating around. 

“I understand that the council has recently held a special meeting of its policy development committee with local stakeholders to discuss the issues around sewage and the water quality of the districts’ rivers and beaches.  It is extremely important, not just to humans but also to the diverse wildlife that live and/or feed in our rivers for their continued survival.

“The last remaining fresh water mussels at Bideford quay are almost extinct. 

“Apparently there used to be a huge colony of them, they can live up to 300 years or more, but now there are only a handful left and they are not breeding. This is thought to be due to the pollution of the Torridge river.

“The council and its individuals all feel that cleaning up our rivers is massively important and continue to find a way with the stakeholders to do just that.

“I have no problem with Extinction Rebellion sitting on lavatories to heighten awareness on a very important topic, as long as they don’t stop people going about their day- to- day activities.”