An App to Protect People from Polluted Waters

TL;DR

Raw sewage is regularly discharged into UK rivers and seas, leaving communities unsure when it is safe to swim, surf, or paddle. Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) created the Safer Seas & Rivers Service (SSRS) to give people the information they need in real time. Covering 650+ bathing locations and trusted by over 208,000 users, the app alerts people to pollution events, helps them take action against water companies, and supports research into the health impacts of dirty water.

We partnered with SAS to inherit and strengthen this one-of-a-kind platform, ensuring it remains reliable, engaging, and future-ready.

Impact: Protecting public health, empowering activism, and giving communities the confidence to enjoy UK waters safely.

Tech Stack: React Native (inherited codebase), PostHog analytics, Figma, CMS integration

Services: Mobile App Development, UX/UI Design, Product Strategy, Continuous Support & Maintenance, Analytics Implementation, Iteration Roadmap, Technical Consultation

Problem

Water users face a frustrating truth: coastal, river and sewer network data exists, but it’s scattered across multiple sources, updated at different times, and not always easy to interpret.

SAS needed a product partner to:

• Fully understand the app’s current usage and pain points

• Improve visibility of real-time sewage releases and pollution risks

• Expand coverage across the UK

• Modernise the app’s performance and stability

• Build toward a more personalised, actionable experience

• Work collaboratively with a separate backend agency

• Take the lead on product direction, best practice, and what good looks like

In the eyes of the user: People simply want to know “Is it safe to get in the water right now?” and feel confident they’re making informed decisions about their health.

Approach

Handover & Support: We inherited a modern React Native codebase and ensured a seamless technical transition.

Immersion & Discovery: We worked with SAS to prioritise development objectives, aligning technical feasibility with maximum impact.

Collaboration: Our role extended beyond maintenance. SAS looked to us to lead product development, showing what good looks like and ensuring their investment translated into meaningful change.

Partnerships in Play: We collaborated closely with SAS’s backend partner Webonix and contributed to Horizon Europe’s Blue Adapt project with Exeter and Galway Universities, embedding behavioural evaluation methods like in-app surveys and A/B testing.

Solution

Challenges we Tackled

• Aligning SAS’s ambitious development objectives with real user priorities.

• Ensuring seamless integration with existing backend systems.

• Creating a roadmap that balanced essential maintenance with bold new features.

What's the Impact?

The SSRS app is already having a measurable impact, and our partnership is designed to amplify this success.

• 208,000+ registered users across the UK

• 650+ bathing locations monitored

• 4.5+ star ratings on iOS and Android

• Award-winning recognition including Best Travel & Leisure App at the UK App Awards

• Trusted by clubs, campaigners, and families for real-time safety and advocacy

• Academic validation through the Horizon Europe Blue Adapt project, researching how real-time alerts influence public behaviour and health

Together, we are helping SAS empower communities, influence policymakers, and protect the ocean.