FAQ
When do you deem a location to have an alert?
We show an alert for a bathing spot when an outfall within 3 miles has had a release within the last 72 hours.
We do not take tidal flow into account. Outfall distance and recent activity are indicators only; tides, currents, and release duration all matter, although closer outfalls are generally more likely to affect water quality.
If you are worried about outfalls further than 3 miles away, you should also monitor nearby locations and outfalls rather than relying only on the alert state for a single bathing spot.
What is an outfall?
An outfall is a discharge point where water is released into the sea, a river, or another receiving water. On Just Sewage, an outfall page shows the discharge point, who manages it, where it discharges, and its recent release history where that data is available.
Does an alert always mean the water is unsafe?
Not necessarily. An alert means there has been recent outfall activity nearby, which is useful warning information, but it is not the same thing as a real-time safety guarantee. Tides, currents, and release duration can all affect conditions, so you should use the alert alongside the latest bathing water information and your own judgment before swimming.
Do you cover every beach, river, or swim spot?
No. Just Sewage focuses on bathing spots rather than rivers. Coverage depends on the bathing spots and outfall data available through our source data, so some places may have limited nearby information.
What does the release history show?
Release history shows reported discharge events for an outfall or for outfalls near a location. Where available, we list when an event started, when it ended, and how long it lasted so you can understand more recent patterns.
How often is the site updated?
We update the site every hour.
How do you collect data?
We collect the information shown in Just Sewage from a small number of upstream sources and present it in a simpler format on the website and in the app. Our sewage release data comes from Stream Water Data, and our official bathing spot list is compiled from the Environment Agency data API. On this website, we do not ask visitors to submit sewage incident reports themselves.
If you use the mobile app, optional location access may be requested only when you choose features such as finding your position on the map. As set out in our privacy policy, that location is used to show your position and is not stored or shared with third parties.
Why do some locations have bathing water quality information?
Some locations include official bathing water quality information so you can compare recent sewage activity with the broader water quality picture. This is especially useful for designated bathing waters that are monitored during the bathing season.
Why might data change?
The information on a location or outfall page can change as upstream sources update their records. That can affect alert status, recent event history, timestamps, and surrounding location data.
Is Just Sewage a replacement for official guidance?
No. Just Sewage is designed to make sewage release information easier to understand, but it should not replace official guidance, local signage, your own risk assessment, or the monitoring tools provided by many official water companies for checking sewage releases directly before entering the water.