Devon-based film on water pollution in cinemas nationwide

On a sunny day, when I head down to the beach and watch the blue waves eventually leading to the Triassic cliffs at the end, I think to myself “I’m so lucky to live in Exmouth”. 

But all too often, when I decide I fancy a dip and dig out my phone, my Surfers Against Sewage app flashes up. “Exmouth Beach has been affected in the last 24 hours”. 

There seems to be a constant tug of war between locals and visitors wanting to swim in the sea and sewage discharges that stop it.

Nobody knows this as well as Jo Bateman, a sea swimmer who recently took South West Water to court. She stars in a new documentary, Jo in the Water, directed by Pip Piper. It is out in cinemas across the South West and elsewhere in the country now.

The woman who took South West Water to court

Jo Bateman is originally from the Midlands. She told Go South West, “While walking the South West Coast Path I fell in love with the sea and decided to move to be near it. Ending up in Exmouth was just an enormous stroke of luck.”

The sea quickly became central to her lifestyle, and she began sea swimming in November 2019. Jo explained that “it very quickly became something I wanted to do daily, because of the benefits to my health – especially my mental health”. 

She continued to describe the benefits of cold water swimming. “Being immersed in such cold water produces such a buzz, a rush of endorphins and adrenaline, that is just incredibly beneficial to my mental health. It’s a very mindful meditative experience, and I love the connection I feel to nature, to wildlife and the environment, when I’m in the sea”. Swimming in the sea quickly became part of her daily routine. 

Discovering the sewage problem

I moved to Exmouth shortly after Jo – my partner and I ended up staying at my gran’s house here during lockdown, and we bought a flat here after. Soon, I was immersed in the world of seawater swimming too. Just like Jo, I found it a chance to switch my mind off and get away from screens. But, in summer 2024, my partner felt unwell the day after swimming. There was no proof, but he suspects it was due to swallowing some seawater. 

Jo became aware of sewage discharges through the local Facebook group ESCAPE – End Sewage Convoys And Pollution in Exmouth. The idea of entering polluted water, which could make swimmers unwell, is hardly appealing. As Jo put it, “you don’t want to swim in shit!”. It has put many swimmers off and has even pushed some tourists to choose other destinations.

Jo became aware of SWW’s frequent sewage discharges and, in protest, stopped paying the sewage element of her water bill in 2023. In 2024, motivated by a strong sense of justice, she took South West Water to a small claims court.

Jo’s claim focused on “loss of amenity” when the sewage discharges prevented her from swimming, emphasising the mental health benefits that she was missing. 

She explained “It wasn’t about money, it was for justice; we pay our water bills, and we end up lining the pockets of shareholders and water company executives, while the infrastructure falls into disrepair”. 

Public anger and growing awareness

The court case is part of the wider conversation around the British coast, but it’s not just a coastal issue. The UK Government website states that “In 2024, sewage spilled into waterways for a record 3,614,428 hours”.

Seemingly every week, there’s another article about water pollution – in February 2026 “1,000 fish [were] found dying in a canal” in Wiltshire (source: BBC). 

And at the end of 2025, residents of Tunbridge Wells in Kent were forced to go without water in two separate incidents. Once was due to the ‘at risk’ local water treatment centre being shut down. The second time, it was due to “South East Water blam[ing] freezing weather for leaks in its ageing pipe network”. (source: The Guardian).

Surfers Against Sewage have also initiated legal challenges and petitions, most recently in Wales as the government have deemed waterways “Too Polluted to Protect”.

Jo’s legal battle is contributing to the growing tension around access to clean water. You’d expect it to be a basic right in a country where water bills are so high, but that increasingly doesn’t feel like the case.

The documentary about Jo’s campaign

Jo in the Water was directed by Pip Piper, an Exmouth-based documentary maker. He told Go South West “I moved here nearly 8 years ago and love the place. Being in or near the sea is just so beneficial in so many ways and Exmouth offers miles of beach and sea as well as the Exe Estuary.”

Pip was driven to create this documentary after hearing Jo’s story, due to the “huge scandal about pollution in our blue spaces”. He states “action is needed by all of us to stop the water companies from choosing profit over people and nature”. 

This kind of film isn’t new to Pip. He mentions “I think all my films have something fundamental to say to the audience about our lives and choices and the positive and negative impacts that they have”. So, when Jo’s story made it to local – and national – news, he was driven to do what was in his power to boost the story. 

Why Exmouth’s waters matter

Exmouth has some of the most vibrant and diverse waters in the country. We have the waters of the Exe Estuary and the calm sea of Lyme Bay, with different currents and conditions suitable for a range of watersports. 

The estuary is home to an array of birdlife, including Avocet birds (the namesake of our train line!). In the sea itself, you can find seals, dolphins and countless fish species. 

“When the sun’s out, I feel like I’m in the Med”, I often joke with my friends as we walk along the sandy beachfront. But when the Surfers Against Sewage warnings flash up on our phone, the holiday feeling has a tendency to disappear! 

But I’m inspired by people like Jo and Pip who are working toward making the town – and country – a better place by activism. Pip concludes with “The film is a clarion call to us all and that there is hope and we can make a difference, as Jo is doing”. 

The film is about Exmouth, but the story could apply to any destination affected by sewage pollution.

If you’re interested in being part of a change to protect our waterways, seeing Jo in the Water is the first step. 

Upcoming showings of Jo in the Water with tickets available: 

• Friday 13th March 2026, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Stratford Upon Avon
• Thursday 19th March 2026, Scott Cinemas, Westbury Park, Bristol (limited tickets)
• Sunday 22nd March 2026, Scott Cinemas, Sidmouth
• Friday 27th March 2026, The Poly, Falmouth
• Saturday 28th March 2026, Plymouth Arts Cinema
• Monday 30th March 2026, Totnes Cinema
• Thursday 9th April 2026, New Central Cinema, Torquay
• Wednesday 15th April 2026, Regal Cinema, Henley-on-Thames
• Saturday 18th April 2026, Exeter Phoenix

For the full schedule, see the upcoming screenings section of the website.