A protest is planned for Barry Island’s Whitmore Bay on Saturday, May 16, as part of a nationwide day of action organised by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).
Demonstrations will take place in more than 50 locations across the UK, including six in Wales, and will target what campaigners describe as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to transform the Welsh water system.
Elin Blakemore, protest lead for Whitmore Bay, said: “We have had enough of companies putting profits over our health and environment. We are proud of the Welsh coast and all the history Barry island has.
“We need the government to take serious restorative action and put our health and seas first. We are actively paying higher bills which is going towards fines Dwr Cymru pay for these illegal spills, enough is enough.”
Campaigners have pointed to a troubling record of sewage discharges in Wales, with protestors saying that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water released sewage more than 100,000 times in 2025, for over 813,000 hours in total.
Surfers Against Sewage said 202 people in Wales reported becoming ill after entering polluted water during the same period.
The protest comes amid growing public concern about water quality, with more than half of UK residents (53 per cent) saying they fear getting sick from swimming in rivers, lakes or the sea.
Nearly one in six (17 per cent) reports either they or someone they know has already fallen ill from sewage pollution.
Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Wales’ water system is catastrophically failing: polluted waters, sky-high bills, and a dire lack of accountability.
“Welsh Water has spent years illegally dumping sewage, misleading regulators and using customer bills to pay executive bonuses, all whilst water users get sick and foot ever-increasing bills.”
Critics have also called out Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the industry regulator, as underfunded and unable to adequately protect Welsh waterways.
A recent Senedd committee echoed these concerns, warning that NRW lacked the resources needed to carry out its duties.
The Barry Island protest will begin at Whitmore Bay at 4pm.
