The poll also found that less than a fifth (18%) of people say they would actually be more likely to swim in the sea if the Government meets its target of cutting spills in half.
Staggeringly, more people (19%) said even if the Government hit its target, they would actually be less likely to swim in the sea, with 45% of people saying they still would not swim in the sea.
People were also asked if they went swimming in the sea during the summer months and if they now would not due to sewage dumping. The poll found close to three in ten (29%) of those who said they go swimming in the sea now said they will not do it at all due to sewage dumping. This is a rise of six percentage points from 23% in just two years, when the same poll was conducted for the Liberal Democrats in 2023.
The Liberal Democrats said the figures laid bare a “coastline crisis” with people “afraid” of enjoying the British summertime due to rampant sewage dumping. The party said that the Government would not be able to end the sewage scandal without giving the planned new regulator the power to levy serious and higher fines and holding persistent sewage dumpers criminally responsible.
Previous data has shown that the Welsh coastal constituencies of Ceredigion Preseli, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mid & South Pembrokeshire are all in the top 10 most sewage-polluted in the UK, with Ceredigion Preseli taking the number one spot. While the River Tawe was the most sewage-filled in Wales and one of the worst in the entire UK.
The same data also showed that Dwr Cymru was the worst offender of all water companies, despite its small size compared to many in England.
Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Gŵyr Abertawe (Swansea & Gower) and Swansea Waterfront Cllr Sam Bennett said:
“This coastline crisis threatens to wreck Welsh summers, with people afraid of swimming in the sea due to rampant sewage dumping. These polluting firms have been let off the hook at every turn, and it is our local environments and people’s summer holidays that are suffering the consequences.
“In communities like mine, the sewage crisis poses a serious risk not only to wildlife and human health, but also to our thriving tourism industry.
“Both the UK and Welsh Governments have failed to get to grips with this crisis, and the public expect more than a job half done.
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats will be running on a platform to clean up our waterways for good at next year’s Senedd elections. That means a full ban on water company executive bonuses, higher and more persistent fines for breaches and for a strong regulatory body that actually enforces the rules.”
