First-of-its-kind handheld device launched to protect public health through real-time water quality testing

Skip a dip and miss out if there’s a pollution alert or take the plunge and risk getting sick? Everyday water users no longer need to make the choice with new Bactiquick real-time water testing device.

A South West based technology company has launched a first-of-its-kind water quality testing device to protect public health, giving everyday water users real-time insight into the health risk posed by taking a dip.

Released just in time for the start of the official bathing water season on 15th May, Bactiquick takes the unknown out of diving in. While traditional water quality tests take 24 hours or more to produce results, causing people to either risk exposure to high levels of bacteria in the meantime or needlessly miss out on doing what they love, the handheld innovation provides reliable results in just 15 minutes – putting the decision to dive in or stay dry in the hands of swimmers, surfers and adventurers.

As the world’s first portable device to test water quality in an instant using endotoxin technology, Bactiquick also detects a wider range of bacteria than most other tests. Beyond the standard E. coli test, it also assesses the chance of picking up a range of nasty bugs which can lead to UTIs, typhoid fever, Legionnaires' disease and many more illnesses.

The revolutionary device has been designed and created to protect public health and water ecosystems by Molendotech based at the Health & Wellbeing Innovation Centre in Truro and the University of Plymouth Brixham Laboratory. Founder, Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Simon Jackson, says: “Despite having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the UK ranks last in Europe for bathing water quality. Bacteria in our rivers and ocean is a real risk for water lovers’ health.

“Pollution from untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, septic tanks and even wildlife can cause high levels of bacteria. And factors like tides, currents and wind direction mean that these are changing constantly. That means when results are released, they are probably already out of date and only scratch the surface when it comes to testing for bacteria – bathing water with a high risk red alert may have changed to low risk in the 24 hours since testing, while a green area could actually be a no-go. Real-time testing is essential.”

“Our break-through technology provides rapid results and is much more reliable. Water users no longer need to rely on traditional methods and choose between skipping a dip if there’s a pollution alert or risk getting sick if they take the plunge. Everyone deserves to know the water qualitybefore diving in,” continues Professor Jackson.

Several water companies are in discussions with community groups to support in rolling out the use of Bactiquick in localised areas. The technology is also being trialled and is making an impact among community swimming groups, environmental campaigners such as Surfers Against Sewage and public organisations. Sidmouth Town Council in particular has embraced the technology to help protect public health. During the summer, Sidmouth Lifeboat Lifeguards will be using Bactiquick to test the water quality on a daily basis and sharing the results with the local community and visitors to enable them to make an informed decision about enjoying the water.

Giles Bristow, CEO at Surfers Against Sewage said: “Another year, another summer of swimming and surfing in sewage while our shameless water companies laugh all the way to the bank. The public has simply had enough and will be paddling out in their thousands to send a clear message to government and the polluters: end this sewage scandal now!

“Our failing water industry has been trumpeting billions in investment to clean up their act, but we know that these fat cat bosses can’t be trusted to keep their promises. The proof is in the missed targets, shocking statistics and devastating stories of sickness we continue to see year after year. We’ve had enough of their lies, greed and incompetence and know that this nightmare will not end until the whole water system is radically reformed.

“The thousands paddling out across the UK are letting the water companies, government and Independent Water Commission know, loud and clear, that we will not accept another year of risking our health to swim in the sea.

“People should be free to use the water without fear of getting sick, and that’s why we developed the Safer Seas & Rivers Service, a free app that provides real-time pollution alerts, giving peace of mind for those worried about sewage pollution.”

The protests are taking place as the Independent Water Commission reviews its evidence before making recommendations to Government on reforming the water industry in England and Wales. Surfers Against Sewage is calling for a total reform of the privatised water sector, demanding that protecting public health and the environment should be prioritised ahead of profit.

With minimal sewage overflow monitoring in Scotland and Northern Ireland (with data reported from just 6.7% and 4.3% of each country’s entire network respectively), protesters paddling out in Scotland and Northern Ireland are calling for proper monitoring, full transparency and for government to address the scale of the issue.

Giles Bristow continued: “We have shown that people power brings about change: we campaigned hard for an Independent Water Commission, and now it must deliver what the public demands. If the government settles for the status quo, history will keep repeating itself and we will never end sewage pollution.

“We cannot keep chucking good money down the drain to service debt, dividends and dodgy bosses, whilst the deluge of sewage discharges contaminates our wild waters and the ocean. The time for tinkering around the edges of a broken system is long gone. This year’s Paddle-Out Protests will show those in power that the public are watching and will not let up until public health and the environment is prioritised over profit.”

Last month, SAS revealed that sewage was discharged over half a million times into UK waters in 2024, with English water companies failing on their Environment Agency targets to reduce sewage pollution incidents. Instead of achieving a 40% reduction, incidents increased by 30% - the highest in a decade. Sewage spilled into the UK’s sea, rivers and lakes for 4.7 million hours at the same time as shareholders of private water companies cashed in on £1.2 billion in dividends.

Among England’s water companies, United Utilities was the worst offender in 2024, spilling sewage over 77,000 times, with Severn Trent, Wessex and Thames Water discharging more sewage than the previous year.

In Wales, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water was responsible for 118,276 sewage discharges, an average of more than one sewage spill every five minutes. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the true scale of sewage pollution is unclear due to limited monitoring of combined sewage overflows (CSOs.) However, SAS estimates that sewage discharges last year could have been as high as 364,629 and 61,732 respectively.

Stuart Davies, a Surfers Against Sewage rep and organiser of the Brighton Pier Paddle-Out Protest said: “We are paddling out because we seem to be in the same place each year. We see record levels of sewage pollution in our blue spaces, especially here on the south coast. Many a time, I have been personally affected. I can't go sea swimming. I can't go surfing. I also volunteer for the Wave Project which provides surf therapy for young people. That's been cancelled a few times, and we couldn't go in the water. It makes me extremely angry. We are paddling out in protest of the scandal and to call for total reform of the water industry.”

Shelley Sim, a sea swimmer from East Lothian who was hospitalized after swimming in polluted water is joining her local Paddle-Out at Belhaven Bay. She said: “I'm joining the Paddle-Out because sewage doesn't belong in our seas. Clean water is a right, not a luxury. It's a place of healing and joy and sanctuary for so many people, and it shouldn't also be a place of fear. Coming together is a way for us to make a change, and with so many of us paddling out, the decision-makers will have to take note and hear us."

Surfers Against Sewage is calling for ambitious and radical reform of the water industry in England and Wales, which puts the environment and public health ahead of profit, ending sewage pollution for good. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the charity is calling for real-time sewage alerts and increased monitoring and transparency of sewage discharges into blue spaces.

Following the nationwide Paddle-Out Protests, SAS is urging the public to email their MP and call for their support for transformational reform of the water industry in England and Wales, and increased transparency and monitoring of water quality in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

About the Paddle-Out Protests
The largest protests are taking place in Brighton, Bournemouth, Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, as well as Broad Haven Beach in Wales, Dunbar in Scotland and Portrush in Northern Ireland. Further info and locations map available here.

Key SAS Paddle-Out protests are taking place at the following locations and times:
Croyde Bay, Devon 10:15
Broad Haven North beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales 14:30
Boscombe Pier, Dorset 10:00
Plymouth Hoe East Beach, Devon 11:00
West Pier, Brighton 10:30
Gylly Beach, Falmouth 12:00
Dunbar, Belhaven Beach, Scotland 11:00
Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives 13:00
Poole Harbour, Dorset 10:00
Wallasey Beach, Merseyside 13:00
Broadstairs, Viking Bay 15:00
Weston Super Mare Marine Lake, 11:30
Seaford, Bonningstedt Parade 10:45
Hythe, Seabrook
Martello Bay, Clacton on Sea 14:00
Bristol Harbour 10:30
Nairn Beach, Scotland 13:00
Stonehaven Beach, Scotland 13:00?
Newton Beach, Porthcawl, Wales 10:30
Sandy Lane, Chester, River Dee 11:00
Victoria Park Boating Pond, Newbury 11:00
Sandhaven Beach, South Shields 11:00
East Beach, West Bay, Dorset 11:00
Wishtower Beach, Eastbourne 14:00
City Beach, Southend on Sea 13:00
Sideshore, Exmoor
Seaton Beach, Cornwall 13:00
Lyme Regis Beach, Dorset 12:00
Woodbridge, River Deben, 13:00
River Cam, Cambridge 10:30
Little Shore Beach, Amble 11:00
King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth 13:00
Portrush Harbour, Northern Ireland 15:00
Appleby Beach, Ryde 11:00
South Bay, Scarborough
Hastings Beach 14:00

Words: Steve White Photos: Jon Runnalls

The PuraVida MiPost Welsh National Surfing
Championships - aka The Welsh - takes place this weekend at Freshwater West.

Playing out over Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May, the event will see Wales’ best surfers tear up the Pembrokeshire waves in a bid to carve their name into their nation’s surfing history.

It’s been a rite of passage for Welsh shredders since 1968 when the inaugural comp was won by Huw Morris of Gower Surf Club. A suitably impressive roll call of champions has developed over the years, from pioneers like Linda Sharp and PJ, to modern day pro’s like Pat Langdon-Dark and Emily Williams.

In the interim, The Welsh has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, drawing in surf communities from around Cymru’s stunning coastline. But this Olympic pathway event is about points as much as prestige, with victory opening the door to competitions on the UK and international stage.

Stakes are high, so the pressure’s very much on for current Men’s and Women’s title-holders, Logan Nicol and Josie Hawke.

Below, the reigning champs discuss their achievements to date, preparations ahead of this year’s Welsh, and explain what it means to be a part of a contest steeped in surfing heritage.

First up is Pembrokeshire Surf Club super grom, Josie Hawke, who made a clean sweep at last year’s Welsh with wins at U14, U16, U18 and senior level.

What does it mean to be Welsh champion?
It does mean a huge amount as it’s a route to higher competition in the UK and Europe. Everyone enters The Welsh; it’s a prestigious title to win and the biggest names in Welsh surfing have competed in it. It’s great to be a part of that group of names who have won, especially these days when you’re surfing alongside people like Pat or Logan who are also Welsh champions. It’s amazing to be part of this surfing community in Wales.

When did winning The Welsh come up on your radar as a grom?
The first competition I entered was the Grom Search in Cornwall, and that was before my first Welsh Nationals which came at Fresh West a few years ago. It felt more like a local comp and I just entered for the experience – there was an U16 category and I was ten years old and I wanted to see what competing was like, and to just get a feel for surf contests. I grew to love competing through that first year and it’s something I can hopefully do for the rest of my life.

How’s your training gone through the last 12 months and leading up to this year’s Nationals?
I’ve been doing quite a lot of training in and out of the water, both in terms of fitness and conditioning, as well as surfing. It’s hard during the winter obviously, because it’s the whole hat, boots and gloves thing, but we’ve also been on training camps in the Algarve with Welsh junior coaches, Emily Williams and Phil Sadler, and that’s been a good boost because it’s great to surf bigger, more powerful waves.

I’ve also been trying out a new board from Luke Hart, and that’s definitely pushed my surfing on. It’s amazing, you know, when you get a new board and you’re like “Wow, I love this board!” It’s boosted my performance and my confidence, too.

The Portugal trips have been amazing, obviously you get a lot of beatings and wipeouts, but then you come back home and you’re more confident in waves that were maybe a bit scary before.

Who else is pushing for silverware this year?
Honestly, all the girls are improving, but for me personally when I compete, I try not to think about how everyone else is performing. I just try to stay in the zone and focus on my own surfing for that 20 minutes and just do the best I can.

Who’s inspiring you at the moment?
I really look up to some of the girls like Alys Barton. Also, my coach, Emily. Also, other surfers from England like Lauren Sandland and Charlotte Mulley.

In terms of Welsh champions, it’s the boys like Logan and Pat – it’s great to see them at The Welsh and watch them absolutely destroy the waves. I also really enjoy surfing with Callum, and Lloyd Cole; they’re just top surfers and set a really good vibe in the water. They support me a lot too, which is lovely.

Who’s currently sponsoring you?
Mystic Boarding are supporting me; they provide me with great kit every year, lovely clothes and good suits as well. It’s not sponsorship but I’m riding the Luke Hart board at the moment, which I’m really enjoying. I’m also getting some funding from the Twr y Felin hotel in Pembrokeshire which is really going to help me in the competitive season. BCRS Business Loans has also given me some funding which is really kind of them.

How’s 2025 looking for you in terms of training, targets and competitions?
We’re hoping to get away to France, so it’ll be good to get some barrel experience on French beach breaks. In terms of competing I just want to keep striving for high-level competition and hopefully surf against some of the best girls in Britain and Europe. I’m inspired to keep pushing myself and just try to focus on getting high heats marks – around the 13 to 15 range. My main goal is to keep scoring consistently high, even in tricky conditions.

Logan Nicol is regularly seen dismantling waves around Wales and the UK with trademark flare. After wins at The Welsh in 2021, ’22 and ‘24, the Channel Coast Surf Club legend is aiming for his fourth Welsh crown this weekend.

What does winning The Welsh mean to you?
Winning the Welsh is a really big thing for me and always was growing up. It’s obviously something I always aspired to make happen, and having achieved that three times is something I only could have dreamed of as a kid. As I’ve got older and pushed on and competed in international events my goals and dreams have grown too, but coming back to The Welsh each year is super important. I love competing and pushing myself against the best in my country and I’m stoked to be competing again this year. Hopefully, I retain the title.

How has your preparation for The Welsh 2025 been so far? 
Yeah, I've just been surfing as much as I can, working on a few different aspects of my game, trying a few more airs and other things. I’ve been at home pretty much all winter and had a trip to Portugal. We also had a crazy run of swell early this year. I’ve been in the gym a lot, working on fitness, conditioning and the physical side of preparation – just staying surf fit. I’ve been steadily improving my surfing and working on my equipment too. So, it’s been about maintaining an all-round approach, staying sharp and making sure I’m ready for when the comps kick in.

Who else will put down a challenge for the title this year?
Yeah, there's definitely some hot contenders. Obviously, can't go past my best mate Pat. He is the best basically, also in the UK, you know. He's pushing for a Challenger Series qualification at the minute. Just to be competing against him and others of his level is, really special and important to me. Obviously, there’s rivalry there but he is my best friend, so I always want to beat him in in a comp.

And then we've got guys like Elliot Barton, Eli Perrins-Davies, Ollie Tom Evans, to name just a few of the guys that are really ripping at the minute. Everyone is hot on everyone else’s heels. On top of that you’ve got the older guard too, people like Vaughny, Craig Bright, Harry Cromwell – again to name just a few. They’re always up there and in really good contention. So yeah, there’s a really solid foundation of Welsh surfers alongside the juniors. It’s no joke – definitely top competition.

Who are Welsh champs of the past that you looked up to, and other surfers who inspired you when you were a grom?
I think in more recent times, it was like, probably Jay Quinn, obviously Pat as well, but Jay, when he came over and won his titles – maybe two or three times – it was just another level. And that's the level that I aspired to, and continue to aspire to – just to be as good as him. Pat as well, like I said, he's at the pointy end of European competition and he’s a real inspiration. When I was a kid, obviously, just those, like those past Welsh champions like Rhino (James Thomas); I looked up to him loads in Porthcawl, my dad used to speak about his surfing loads. And then it’s the classic guys like Greg Owen, Vaughny, James Jones – I looked up to those guys a great deal when I was small.

Whose sponsoring you at the moment?
At the minute, I’m really lucky to have some really solid support from some great companies. I'm currently sponsored clothing-wise, by animal UK for apparel. My wetsuits I'm getting from C-Skins are honestly the best suits I've ever worn. They’re a UK-based and founded company as well, so that's really special to me. My fitness programs are provided by Mike Collins at Atlantic coaching – it’s just an amazing programme. I get sessions programmed in every week by Mike and they are tailored to my surfing performance. They’ve honestly had the biggest impacts on my surf ability – all that training I've been doing on land with him.

Luke Hart, for surfboards; equipment is so important in surfing as everyone knows, and he's providing me with the best kit. He takes on board the feedback that I give him and he edits my boards and we’re just getting constant improvements each time. It’s a magic little relationship and I’m super lucky to have him alongside. I get my accessories, like deck pads and stuff, from Obsessive Disorder, another Welsh company, and fins from FCS. I’m very lucky for all the support I get and I really appreciate it.

How’s the year ahead looking for you in terms of training targets and competitions?
Yeah so, obviously we've got the Welsh coming up and I’m also looking forward to Boardmasters this summer. It’s the only UK-based QS comp, so I definitely want to put in a good showing down there in Cornwall. I’ve just seen the European Championships has just been announced for July, so I’m booking the time off work for that and hopefully I’ll be able to compete in that representing Wales. I love that comp and love going to Portugal to surf.

Pushing later into 2025, I’m not sure what’s going on with the World Games, but there could definitely be a conversation about attending there. Whenever the GB Cup takes place too, I’m really keen to surf in that, and potentially in a QS. I’m gutted I missed the Morocco QS this year. I’d had other commitments at the time, but it’s an event I’d like to surf in; the waves looked amazing last year, and I think that event would really suit my surfing. I’d love to score out there. That’s pretty much it – the main goal is to tackle those comps and just keep doing my best.

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