A water provider has admitted its environmental performance has been "unacceptable" as sewage overflow was released along the Sussex coast

Sewage spills from overflow drains were released potentially making it unsafe for bathers.

Lawrence Gosden, chief executive of Southern Water told the House of Lords yesterday that their environmental performance had been “unacceptable.”

Southern Water, which collects and treats wastewater in West and East Sussex, was rated joint worst in England in this year’s Environment Agency environmental performance report, scoring a one-star "poor" rating.

Labour councillor for Shoreham’s St Mary’s ward Jeremy Gardner said: “Sewage has been released into our Sussex coastal waters three times this month alone. We need action.”

Southern Water data shows that there have been three discharges at Shoreham, Southwick and Hove since the start of this month.

According to their website, the most recent overflows at these sites ended at 9.00am this morning and "may have affected water quality".

Mr Gosden was challenged by the Lords on whether it was safe to swim on the south coast.

He said that Sussex beaches had become much cleaner over the past 30 years.

Southern Water told the Argus that storm overflows are essential to protect homes, schools and businesses from flooding.

A spokesperson said: “Rain can overwhelm the combined sewer and drainage system which exists in many parts of our region. Storm overflows act as a release value and release excess water into the sea. These discharges are heavily diluted, typically being 95 per cent rainwater. There are around 15,000 storm overflows in England and approximately 1,000 in our region.”

Surfers Against Sewage, a marine conservation charity, argued that storm overflows this month in in Brighton, Hove and Shoreham had occurred when rainfall had not been “extreme.”