Portsmouth seafront signs flag what can pollute bathing water

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-12 18:37 2 min read

Modern Spinnaker Tower and historic Portsmouth harbor buildings under a clear blue sky.

Yellow Fish notices have been placed beside roadside drains along Portsmouth’s seafront to remind residents and visitors that many surface-water drains flow directly to the sea or beach.

The signs cover Eastney, Southsea, Canoe Lake, Avenue de Caen and Southsea Common. They carry a simple message: only rain should go down the drain.

Areas covered by the Yellow Fish notices

Portsmouth City Council has worked with Southern Water to install stickers and lamppost boards beside drains from Eastney through Southsea to Canoe Lake, as well as along Avenue de Caen and across Southsea Common.

The campaign is aimed at places close to the coast, where water entering roadside drains can affect the sea and beach used by swimmers.

Portsmouth seafront signs flag what can pollute bathing water

Keep waste out of roadside drains

Surface-water drains are not all connected to treatment works. The council says some discharge straight to the coast, so anything put into them can enter local bathing water.

Residents and visitors are being asked not to put the following into roadside drains:

Dog waste
Cigarette ends
Chemical toilet waste from campervans
Any other pollutants or rubbish

Cllr Kimberly Barrett, Portsmouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Greening the City, said the campaign forms part of wider work with Southern Water, the Environment Agency and other partners to protect the coastline and support cleaner coastal waters.

A practical reminder for Southsea bathing water

The Yellow Fish campaign has also been used in Bognor, Worthing and Shoreham as a low-cost way to make the route from drain to sea more visible.

Southern Water engagement manager Phil Creswell-Nash said small changes can reduce pollution reaching rivers and seas. For Portsmouth’s seafront, the immediate action is straightforward: keep surface-water drains for rain only.

Source: Portsmouth City Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

This article uses the council’s campaign update and identifies the areas and behaviours it says are covered by the Yellow Fish notices.

Checks

Checked the locations named for the Yellow Fish notices.
Checked the council’s explanation that some roadside drains discharge to the sea or beach.
Checked the quoted comments from Portsmouth City Council and Southern Water.
Checked the stated examples of waste that should not enter roadside drains.

Portsmouth City Council Check related coverage