The heart-wrenching story of a mother whose daughter died after contracting e-coli on a Devon beach in 1999 has resurfaced with a powerful call to action. Julie Maughan, 58, is demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to address what she describes as a "sewage crisis" that continues to endanger public health.
A Family Holiday Turned Tragedy
Julie Maughan's daughter, Heather Preen, was just eight years old when she fell ill during a family holiday in Dawlish, Devon. "We went on holiday as a family of four and came home as a family of three," Julie recalled, her voice filled with enduring pain. Heather, described as a fun-loving girl who knew only love and happiness, died two weeks after playing on the beach.
A nearby storm pipe had discharged into the sea just days before their trip. Julie remains convinced that raw sewage contamination caused Heather's death, though South West Water denied culpability at the time. "Water companies tried to deflect blame for Heather's death," she stated, "and twenty-seven years later they are still pumping sewage into our waterways. They cannot be trusted to protect our health."
Channel 4 Drama Amplifies the Issue
This family's tragedy features prominently in Channel 4's hard-hitting three-part drama Dirty Business, which began airing this week. The series aims to shed light on the ongoing environmental and health impacts of water pollution in the UK.
The drama also highlights the case of teacher Reuben Santer, who developed Ménière's Disease, an incurable ear disorder, after surfing at Saunton Beach in Devon. "Developing a chronic illness after surfing in polluted water has changed my life," Santer explained. "What began as frustration at missing a few winter swells became something permanent: surgery, ongoing treatment, and the grief of losing the identity I built around the sea."
Alarming Statistics and Corporate Profits
New figures from the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage reveal the scale of the problem. In 2025 alone, sewage was discharged into bathing waters around England for 124,717 hours. Already this year, the total has reached 46,141 hours.
Meanwhile, recent reports show that top executives at England's major water companies received over £15 million in pay and perks last year, while declaring £900 million in dividends. This stark contrast between corporate profits and public health risks has fueled outrage among campaigners.
Government Plans Under Fire
Surfers Against Sewage is urging the government to replace the current privatised water industry, criticizing the Vision for Water White Paper published in January as inadequate. Julie Maughan echoed this sentiment: "All the government has done is publish plans that continue to protect investors and shareholders, not the children swimming in our seas and rivers. There is nothing in those plans that would have saved Heather. Nothing that will stop this happening to another family."
Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, emphasized the human cost behind the statistics: "For three decades, millions of hours of sewage have been dumped into the nation's waters while millions in payouts have been siphoned off. But this isn't about data and statistics. It's about Heather. It's about Reuben. Real people, still suffering, while shareholders get richer."
A Mother's Unwavering Resolve
Julie Maughan's determination remains steadfast. "I will not stop until no other parent has to live with what I live with every single day," she vowed. Her campaign seeks not only justice for Heather but systemic change to prevent future tragedies.
South West Water responded to renewed attention on the case by stating: "The loss of a child is devastating, and we recognise the lasting impact this has had on those closest to her. At the time, there was an extensive and multi-agency investigation involving public health authorities, the Environment Agency and other relevant bodies. The Outbreak Control Team report concluded that, despite intensive investigations, no cause for the outbreak was identified."
The company noted that the inquest documentation confirmed no definitive source of infection was established and mentioned that E. coli O157 is commonly carried by animals like cattle and dogs.
As Dirty Business brings these stories to national attention, the call for government action grows louder. With sewage discharges continuing at alarming rates and water company profits soaring, campaigners argue that the current system prioritizes shareholder returns over public safety.
