Mother's Heartbreaking Plea to Prime Minister Over Sewage Pollution Tragedy
Julie Maughan, the grieving mother of eight-year-old Heather Preen who died after contracting e-coli on a Devon beach in 1999, is demanding an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to address what she describes as a deepening "sewage crisis" in the UK. Her family's devastating story is featured in the hard-hitting Channel 4 drama Dirty Business, which aired this week, highlighting the human cost of water pollution.
A Holiday That Ended in Unimaginable Loss
"We went on holiday as a family of four and came home as three," Julie Maughan recounted, her voice filled with emotion. "Heather was a fun-loving little girl who knew only love, happiness and friendship. That summer, dirty water killed her." The family was vacationing in Dawlish, Devon, when Heather fell ill after playing; a nearby storm pipe had discharged into the sea just days before their trip. Despite South West Water denying culpability, Julie remains convinced that raw sewage led to her daughter's death two weeks later.
Now 58, Julie has vowed: "I will not stop until no other parent has to live with what I live with every single day." She criticises water companies for deflecting blame and continuing to pump sewage into waterways, stating they cannot be trusted to protect public health.
Alarming Data and Broader Impacts of Pollution
New figures from the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage reveal the scale of the issue: sewage was discharged into bathing waters around England for 124,717 hours in 2025, and for 46,141 hours already this year. Meanwhile, top executives at England's major water companies received over £15 million in pay and perks last year, while declaring £900 million in dividends.
The drama Dirty Business also features 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," he said. "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. How does this happen in a wealthy country in 2026?"
Calls for Systemic Change and Government Action
Surfers Against Sewage is urging the government to replace the privatised water industry, criticising the Vision for Water White Paper published in January as inadequate. Julie Maughan argues that government plans continue to protect investors and shareholders rather than children swimming in seas and rivers. "There is nothing in those plans that would have saved Heather," she said. "Nothing that will stop this happening to another family. That is not good enough."
Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, emphasised: "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. You cannot put a price on clean water. But this Government has. And we are all paying it."
Water Company Response and Ongoing Debate
In response, South West Water stated: "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 inquest documentation confirms that no definitive source of infection was established. The inquest report also noted that E. coli O157 is a bacteria commonly carried by animals, particularly cattle and dogs."
As the debate intensifies, campaigners and affected families continue to push for stricter regulations and accountability, hoping to prevent future tragedies linked to water pollution.
