Ocean Sewage Alliance members and supporting partners are urging nations at the 11th Our Ocean Conference to treat sewage pollution as a top priority and advance toward a United Nations Global Sewage Treaty. Fresh data reveal the heavy financial and ecological toll of wastewater that goes untreated.

Although attention in marine protection has centered on plastic waste, excessive fishing, and shifting climate patterns, sewage remains one of the most widespread yet ignored risks to ocean systems. Close to half of all wastewater worldwide reaches natural surroundings without treatment, fouling rivers, lakes, shorelines, coral formations, and fishing grounds. These effects reach into public well-being, food supplies, growth prospects, and the ability to withstand climate shifts, with annual global costs estimated near four trillion dollars.

"Marine protection efforts will fall short as long as vast volumes of raw sewage enter waterways each day," noted Jasmine Fournier, Executive Director of the Ocean Sewage Alliance. "This form of pollution crosses borders and demands coordinated global steps similar to those taken for ocean governance, climate issues, and species protection."

Host nation Kenya illustrates the scale of the problem. Analyses show only eleven percent of its wastewater receives treatment. The resulting shortfalls lead to a five-point-one percent reduction in fisheries output and more than sixty-five million dollars lost each year from illness tied to polluted water sources. Such figures demonstrate how poor wastewater handling harms health, jobs, and growth.

Recent studies confirm that sewage loads are weakening Marine Protected Areas, the chief tool for ocean conservation. East Africa ranks among regions with the heaviest pollution burdens, and experts warn that targets such as safeguarding thirty percent of the ocean by 2030 cannot succeed without major upgrades in wastewater systems. Stronger rules, cross-border partnerships, and focused funding are required.

Kenya also offers examples of progress through local solutions that expand sanitation access, generate employment, and cut pollution before it reaches the sea. Groups such as Fresh Life show how well-designed sanitation projects improve lives and ecosystems together.

"Sewage pollution ranks among the least recognized risks to people and nature," stated Eric Njogu, Managing Director at Fresh Life. "Communities pay the price through sickness, damaged habitats, and missed economic chances. Proven approaches in cities like Nairobi and Kisumu prove that scalable fixes can bring real gains, yet broader international commitment is essential."

The coalition proposes a Global Sewage Treaty resting on six core elements: strong monitoring networks, revised regulations, new financing tools, clear worldwide goals, improved oversight, and wider use of nature-based methods. Progress on clean water and sanitation underpins every other sustainable development aim, from health to resilient cities.

"Reliable water and sanitation systems form the base for thriving communities," added Fournier. "Effective answers exist. What is needed now is unified global action to expand them and meet shared targets for people and the planet."