Dirty Water Campaign
Taking direct action to demand clean water.
Dirty Water Campaign
Building an understanding of how extreme weather events directly affect our waterways and pollution levels. Taking direct action to demand clean water.
Wave 4
📆 Fri 4 – Sun 6 August
This time we’re taking the campaign to local bathing spots! We’ll reinforce outreach with flyers and posters giving pubic health information, warning signs, brown flags and Dirty Water banner drops.
💧Join our Telegram channels:
👁 Sign up to #dirtywater news
Contact Dirty Water
- Using their Mattermost Reception channel here
- Email: dirtywatercampaign@proton.me
The Dirty Water Landing Page links to all the Waves of actions and has all the information you need to take part in each Wave.
Dirty Water Waves 1-3 Action Packs
Wave 3 Ripple 1 took place at The Big One 21st-24th April
See the Dirty Water Broadcast on Telegram for info.
Wave 3 Ripple 2 focused on the Local Elections in early May.
For easy access to take part, this is the #VoteCleanWater Action Pack with a separate link to the A3 posters for commercial printing
Contact Dirty Water
Using their Mattermost Reception channel here or email: dirtywatercampaign@proton.me
Take Action
Sign up to the Dirty Water Mailing List here Sign up to the Dirty Water Telegram chat here
Digital Rebellion Dirty Water Wave 2
Take action from your own armchair here
- Sign up to the Digital Rebellion mailing list here
- Sign up to the Digital Rebellion Telegram chat here
Resources
Environmental Information and Water Companies 2015
23 June 2021 Oral evidence: Water Quality in Rivers, Environmental audit committee
18 July 2013 letter from Richard Benyon, Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries
Government Implementation Plan for the Chalkstream Strategy 25.11.22
Deep Water Mattermost Channel Deep Water Telegram Channel
Lots of sewage news and info here on the BBC:
Maps
Environment Agency Water Basin Catchment Areas
EDM Map | Storm discharge data | River health | Thames Water (in real-time)
Raw sewage in our rivers | The Rivers Trust monitor sewage in your local area: real-time data map
Map shows raw sewage emptied into Worcestershire rivers | Worcester News
Articles (in date order/newest at the bottom)
11 March 2021 Hundreds of sewage leaks detected thanks to AI
31 March 2021 water firms discharged raw sewage into english waters 400000 times last year
7 Sept 2021 Sewage discharge rules eased over fears of chemical shortage
25 Oct 2021 BBC: Tory MPs defend votes after uproar over sewage proposals
22 Nov 2021 UK legal group warns of information blackout on sewage discharges
15 Feb 2022 Mirror article: Fat cat water bosses take home £15m as raw sewage rockets
13 May 2022 Sewage dumps into English rivers widespread, criminal inquiry suspects
25 Aug 2022 UK sewage turning Channel and North Sea into dumping ground, say French MEPs
River pollution goes unchecked as testing in England falls to 10-year low 2 Sept 2022
14 Sept 2022 ‘We are not going away’: the volunteers fighting back against England’s polluted rivers
1 Oct 2022 Environment Agency knew sewage was being dumped into rivers years ago, leak reveals
3 Oct 2022 Water companies forced to cut £150m from customers bills
Protesters to take to beaches over sewage discharges into English seas 7 Oct 2022
‘Hot air’: plans to crack down on UK water polluters dismissed as toothless 15 Oct 2022
River pollution: New phosphate rules hit thousands of planned new homes 24 October 2022
Massive sewage spill filmed at St Agnes beach in Cornwall 30 Oct 2022
9 Nov 2022 Environment Agency Prosecutions 6% of the Level they were a Decade Ago
Water companies dumping sewage during dry weather, SAS report finds 24 Nov 2022
BBC: Wild swimmers are getting sick from sewage, campaigners say 24 Nov 2022
Water chiefs blame UK government for failure to stop sewage pollution 26 Nov 2022
Government to weaken water pollution goals in ‘attack on nature 9 Dec 2022
Target date for cleaning up waterways in England is moved back by 36 years 22 Dec 2022
6 Jan Bloomberg Thams Water Sewage Maps shows pollution in London
16 Jan Moody Ratings Agency downgrades outlook for UK Water Companies
Sarah Jackson: British windsurfer says south coast like 'surfing in sewage everyday 27 Jan 2023
Sewage Overspills result from lack of infrastructure Imperial College 30 Jan 2023
Impending death of the River Wye 30 Jan 2023
Water firms in England urged to upgrade sewage works for new homes 31st Jan 2023
Thames Water: Oxford City Council calls for end to water privatisation
'I do give a shit about water pollution' Therese Coffey 1st Feb 2023
Kent: Sewage pours onto street 1st Feb 2023
Water company prosecutions fall in England despite thousands of pollution warnings 1st Feb 2023
Water bills to increase by most in almost 20 years from April 1st Feb 2023
Water firms to lose public funds unless they pledge to stop UK sewage spills 1 Feb 2023
10 Mar 2023 Campaigners ask why bathing area applications are rejected?
Videos
BBC Documentary on Pollutants in Welsh Rivers
Organisations
Take action | The Rivers Trust
UN Water Conference 2023 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Get involved with the UK’s largest and most comprehensive water quality testing programme
Useful Contacts
Deep Water: Water and Sewage companies and Telegram links - Google Docs
Jenni Russell on Twitter
Columnist, The Times; contributing writer, the New York Times; book reviewer, the Sunday Times. Winner of the Orwell Prize for political journalism 2011.
“Please read; the most important piece I've written. Mass poisoning has suddenly killed off most sea life for 30 miles by the Tees. The govt claims it's natural; ind scientists warn it's [hu]manmade. The govt is desperate not to inquire too deeply as its freeport policy is at stake.” Read here
Go back to 100 Days Book Main Menu
Resources
You can access and download additional resources from the pages in this chapter.
Dirty Water fill-in-the-blanks poster!
Flypost your polluted waterway or coastline with this handy poster, just fill in the blanks.
Do your research to be sure the script you are adding is accurate!!!
Example
This water is polluted with:
RAW SEWAGE
The responsible party is:
WESSEX WATER
Contact them here to register your complaint:
info@wessexwater.co.uk
If you are unsure about flyposting another option is to paste the poster onto cardboard and attach with string?!
To Print Download yellow and black 'Fill in the blanks' WARNING poster - jpeg
To Print Download black & white 'Fill in the blanks' Warning poster - jpeg
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Songsheet
PDF version for downloading and printing here
With thanks to Suffolk, whose MP is Therese Coffey, but you can insert your own/relevant MP surname/water authority/organisation…
To the tune of ‘My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean’
(soundcloud link here)
The sewage flows into the river,
The sewage flows into the sea
The sewage flows into the [Deben] [insert own river name here, or just use word 'ocean']
And the blame lies with Therese Covey
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back clean rivers and seas and seas,
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back clean rivers and seas.
The runoffs as bad as the sewage,
With pesticides killing off bees.
They kill off aquatic invertebrates,
And the blame lies with Therese Coffey.
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back clean rivers and seas and seas,
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back clean rivers and seas.
To the tune of ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’
(soundcloud link here)
By the rivers all around the country
You should hold your breath
If you ever dare try to swim there
You are risking death
In the streams that feed the rivers
You can count the turds
As our sewage is no longer filtered
While MPs ignore our words
Chorus:
And at high tide I feel like crying
As all around our coast
We see aquatic life is dead & dying
And so we make this fuss
Because it’s obvious
The Tories voted for pollution
In a solid block
But come the next election
They could get a shock
Coffey, Hunt & Poulter,
Churchill, Aldous too (Insert own MPs here)
Suffolks Conservative MPs,
All voted for more poo!
Chorus:
And at high tide I feel like crying
As all around our coast
We see the scummy crud & crap a-rising
And so we make this fuss
Because it’s obvious
Repeat 1st Chorus
Chords for guitars/ukes:
Intro: G G
Verses:G G C C F C G D x 2
Chorus: G G7 C D G G7 C DC G G
We Need to Build a Better Future
YouTube version here
And here's Belgium singing it!
We need to build a better future
We need to wake up
We need to wise up
We need to open our eyes
And do it now, now, now!
We need to build a better future
And we need to start right now
We’re on a planet
That has a problem
We’ve got to solve it, get involved
And do it now, now, now!
We need to build a better future
And we need to start right now
Make it greener
Make it cleaner
Make it last, make it fast
And do it now, now, now!
We need to build a better future
And we need to start right now
No point in waiting
Or hesitating
We must get wise, take no more lies
And do it now, now, now!
We need to build a better future
And we need to start right now.
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Poo Pouring
Poo Pouring
A short video of a poo pouring action from Wave 1.
Rogers Poo Recipe!
I made some porridge, as you would for breakfast but thinner and more watery. Then thickened it up by adding white flour (in cold water) and boiling again till the right consistency achieved. Needs to run slowly down a vertical surface. Then add torn bits of kitchen paper and stir in some water based brown paint. There is plenty of scope for variations!!
Guidelines
A short video of Poo Pouring over the logo of a water polluter will be great for social media!
Some good still pics along with a press release could generate local press coverage.
This action idea could also be a centerpiece for a larger event.
Requirements
- Recce and rehearsal
- Video and still pics
- Press release and social media release
- Protest liaison - just in case _ Poo pouring!
Clean up!
It is vital to clean up after your point has been made to avoid any possible charge of criminal damage!
Bring water and cloths to clean up, and place a piece of carpet beneath the target to catch drippage.
Protest Liaison
If police arrive or are present, have a designated person already in place, to explain your peaceful protest and assure them that protesters fully intend to clean up any mess before they leave.
Recce and rehearsal
Practice your pouring ceremony beforehand to be sure it goes right. Most targets will be vertical so practice pouring onto a vertical surface. Use a receptacle such as a squishy plastic bottle to pour from.
Survey the Pouring target beforehand to plan your theatrics, and also to be sure it will cause no lasting damage.
Important Warning - be aware that Poo Pouring on a permeable surface, such as stone, could cause long lasting stains, impossible to clean off on the day. Avoid permeable surfaces due to the possibility of inadvertently causing ‘criminal damage’!
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Dirty Water Scrubbers
Send your own clean up crew?
This style theatrical action idea was developed for dirty banks.
Your local issue around water pollution may have a target suitable for a visit from Dirty Water Scrubbers, maybe with the addition of water pollution themed props?
Bring placards / banners relevant to your local issue. Messaging - ‘CLEAN UP YOUR ACT'.
Take good photos and send them out with a press release.
Here's the basics
Dirty Scrubbers outfit. (All genders):
Plain leggings and tops, headscarf, curlers, heavy makeup, rubber gloves, filter tipped cigarettes!
Props: cleaning equipment, ideally colourful- if there’s a choice then green gold or leopard print!
If you want the full monty with scripts and useful links for resources
How to be a Dirty Scrubber
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Useful Publications
- after Paul Whitehouse's 'Our Troubled Waters' aired on BBC2 on Sunday 5 March, DEFRA issued a statement
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Maps
Maps
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Newpaper Articles
Articles (in date order/newest at the bottom)
- 14 Sept 2022 ‘We are not going away’: the volunteers fighting back against England’s polluted rivers
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Other Useful Bits for Resource
Feargal Sharkey on Twitter For all the latest information about what the water companies and the UK government are doing about our waterways and seas, we do recommend that you follow Feargal Sharkey on twitter here
Jenni Russell on Twitter
Columnist, The Times; contributing writer, the New York Times; book reviewer, the Sunday Times. Winner of the Orwell Prize for political journalism 2011.
“Please read; the most important piece I've written. Mass poisoning has suddenly killed off most sea life for 30 miles by the Tees. The govt claims it's natural; ind scientists warn it's [hu]manmade. The govt is desperate not to inquire too deeply as its freeport policy is at stake.” Read here
This is quite interesting - was posted by rebels near River Wey [](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/uploads/images/gallery/2023-03/RIVERWEYFACTSsmall.jpg)
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Poo Tea Party
Wivellers (XR Wiveliscombe) Poo Party
River Creatures Party by Taunton's River Tone but Raw Sewage in the Water turns it into a Poo Party - YouTube
Brief Action Plan for Sharing
Location - busy park, Saturday morning, polluted River Tone in background.
Props and Costumes - long table so we can all sit behind, in shot. Tablecloth smeared in sewage with banner "Stop the Poo-lution" and "crockery" which is bits of old plastic taken from the river plus "Crisis, What Crisis?" tea-pot.
Guests are wearing animal heads and human colourful clothing to match their creature.
Workshop on how to make animal heads being run on Wednesday 1st March on Zoom, with local artist Jenni Dutton, all welcome! (link to follow)
Also at the party are citizen scientists in hazmat suits (under a fiver at builders merchants) with clip boards, testing the river water in jugs on table, which animals are drinking.
Soundtrack
Swimming In It by Beans on Toast - perfect length and really added something.
Go back to Dirty Water Book Main Menu
Dirty Water - Art & Design Assets
You can find all the Dirty Water assets for the different Waves here