Southern Water has 4.7 million customers. If even a small fraction of them withheld payment, complained to their MP, or simply started talking about this, the pressure would be impossible to ignore.
There are four things you can do right now.
Withhold your wastewater payment
The most direct action you can take. Read my guide first — it sets out the process honestly, including the risks. Then use the template letter to write to Southern Water before you stop paying anything.
Email your MP
Southern Water’s record isn’t just a corporate failure – it’s a regulatory and political one. Your MP represents you, and they need to hear that their constituents are paying the highest water bills in the country for a service that involves dumping sewage in the sea.
Find and write to your MP at WriteToThem.
It takes about five minutes. You don’t need to be an expert – just tell them what you think and ask what they’re doing about it.
As of May 2026, only the Green Party is for renationalising the water industry.
Share your experience
If you’re a Southern Water customer who has withheld payment – or tried to – I’d love to hear from you and share your story on the site.
Email me on brightonwastewaterprotest@proton.me and tell me what happened. All experiences shared on this site will be anonymised.
Things that would be particularly useful to hear about:
- How Southern Water responded (or didn’t)
- Whether you were contacted by a debt collection agency and what happened
- Whether your credit score was affected
- How far through the escalation process you got
- Anything you wish you’d known before you started
Share this site
If you know someone in Brighton or Hove who pays Southern Water bills and is fed up with the sewage situation, send them this site.
- Send the link directly to friends and family
- Post it in local Facebook groups – there are several active Brighton and Hove community groups where this is relevant
- Share it on Nextdoor, which is particularly good for reaching neighbours in your immediate area
- Post it on social media with a note about why you think it matters
- Mention it at work – you’d be surprised how many people feel the same way and don’t know this is an option
Get in touch
Email me at brightonwastewaterprotest@proton.me with ideas, suggestions or to share your experience.
Please note: I’m not able to offer advice on individual cases and nothing I say constitutes legal or financial advice.