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Help campaign for cleaner seas – write your MEP now

Dear ‘water user’!

As the revision of the European Bathing Water directive draws ever nearer,
we need to let the MEPs know that this is a vital opportunity to improve the
state of our beaches and seas. We have a one in fifty year chance to make our
water environment cleaner and safer for us to enjoy, but the only way we are
going to make the changes happen is with your help.

The letter, which follows on at the bottom of this news story, firstly needs
to be firstly translated (if overseas), then either printed and sent (on headed
notepaper if applicable) or emailed to the MEP who represents your country on
the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy. It’s these
guys who will be giving the rubber stamp to the new Bathing Water Directive,
so it’s them that we must target with our pressure.

In order to find out who you should be sending your letter to, go to the following
website address;

http://www.europarl.eu.int/committees/envi_home.htm

This gives you a list of everyone who sits on the Committee. Find the MEP’s
who are from your country, click to find their address details and either post
or email them with the letter that accompanies this letter.

Make sure you fill in your address on the top right hand side of the letter,
fill in the MEP’s name and sign your name at the bottom. If you get a reply,
we’d really like to take a look, so send a copy to us at Surfers Against Sewage.

James Hendy,
Surfers Against Sewage,
Rural Workshops,
Wheal Kitty,
St Agnes,
Cornwall,
TR5 0RD

re; Revision of the 1976 EC Bathing Water Directive

Dear…………………………MEP,

As a recreational water user I use the water all year round, sometimes
at locations that are not used by bathers.

At the present time legislation designed to protect the public from
coming into contact with sewage polluted water does not recognise that
I exist. The 1976 Bathing Water Directive applies only to those areas
where a significant number of ‘bathers’ go in the water and is applicable
only in the summer months.

This means that as a water user my health can be jeopardised simply
by participating in the sport I love.

As you will be aware the 1976 EC Bathing Water Directive is currently
being revised. As one of the millions of water users who use Europe’s
coastal and inland waters each year, I would like to see a number of
changes to the legislation in order that me and my fellow water users
get the protection we deserve.

I hope that you will ensure that when this directive is revised the
following will be incorporated;

· A broadening of the concept of ‘bathing waters’ to take into
account those waters heavily used by citizens participating in water
contact recreation.

· Acknowledgement of the year round nature of water use at certain
locations.

· The development of a standard and methodology that will give
the best possible health protection.

· Accessible, up to date information to enable the public to
make an informed choice about which waters they use, and when.

· The benefits of adopting the above proposals will not be felt
by the water user alone; the tourism and leisure industry also stand
to benefit.

I hope that as a Member of the European Parliament and also a member
of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy you
will acknowledge the importance of taking this directive forward in
a way that will benefit everyone using our water environment.

Yours sincerely,

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