SEABORNE SCOURGE

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), an environmental group in the UK, is about to create history of sorts. It has acquired state legal aid to sue 2 privatised water companies for illness, allegedly from sewage dumped into the sea. It claims that South West Water and Southern Water failed to meet government Standards for bathing water at 2 beaches. Chris Hines, head of SAS, said 5 members suffered from chronic ear infections after surfing off the English coast, where partially treated sewage was dumped into the water. The water companies, on the other hand, pleaded that preventive action on their part was hamstrung by prohibitive costs.