After an unseasonal heavy downpour the last weekend of June, water companies across Europe were once again forced to let untreated raw sewage (as well as plenty other toxic industrial sludge no doubt) flow straight out into the lineup.

The incident caused a particular stir at Godrevy in Cornwall, where a surf competition had to be called off and the beach closed.

Yes, water companies continue to make profits but the astronomical cost of overhauling old unsustainable sewage systems is extremely unlikely to see them take any serious steps to resolve the problem. A situation which due to global warming and ever-increasing violent weather patterns is let’s face it only set to get a whole lot worse.

In the meantime, the best thing you can do is sign up to SAS Sewage Alert, a real-time water quality alert service set up to inform you when untreated human sewage and wastewater is being discharged at your favourite beach. It’s probably a good idea to find out where exactly your nearest sewer overflows are situated too.

Past that, if you really want to help your local council fix the mess they’re in then get your hands on a compost dunny – your fruit trees will love you for it – and if reputed contemporary Austrian artist Friedrich Hundertwasser managed to crap in a bucket for 70 years so can anyone!